Langston Hughes

[Alexander III]

I recently read the selected poetry (by Hughes himself) of Hughes, and I was frankly bedazzled at the way he expresses emotion and thoughts using simple and easily understandable vernacular language. In Short I loved his poetry. In fact (I mean no offense I am merely stating my opinion) having read both Whitman, Eliot and Hughes, I find Hughes to be the greatest one of the three.

I was wondering if anyone else feels the same why about Hughes as I do ?

Here is one of my favorite poems of his which demonstrates how he is able to convey so much, using a simple format:

My People

The night is beautiful,
So the faces of my people.

The stars are beautiful,
So the eyes of my people.

Beautiful, also, is the sun.
Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.

[Buh4Bee]

I also like Langston Hughes. Whenever I have taken the time to pick up his poetry, usually to teach it, I am inspired. Singing of the African American experience and the beauty of his people- this captures me. The oppressed can free themselves with their words and minds.

[Heteronym]

Langston Hughes was a great poet, a bit underappreciated nowadays. That vernacular style that you speak of is one of the things that I like so much about his style. Very simple language, containing complex ideas and feelings.

[Alexander III]

I especially love how when you read him you understand the feel of being life for blacks in those days, the beauty and the loathsome, the hope and misery.

[Heteronym]

His coming of age novel, Not Without Laughter, also paints an interesting picture of what it was to be black at the beginning of the 20th century. But his poetry is his greatest achievement.