Langston Hughes Poetry Essay

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Poetry is a wondrous form of literature. It has a way of speaking to an audience or reader in a plethora of ways; whether it is in terms of style, rhythm, intensity or emotion. With the different styles and abundant amount of ideas to write about, it’s interesting to think about how some poets and their styles of poetry have influenced others. The amazing part about poetry is that even though two poems can have similar qualities or ideals, they are never exactly the same. Which, let’s face it – that would be plagiarism – and we all know that is a big no-no. That is what has always been so astonishing about poetry, the vastness of it all. Yet with this paper I will examine how the similarities and differences of two specific poems prove to showcase …show more content…

Hughes was born on May 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. His early life wasn’t easy, as his father and mother separated and he was primarily raised by his maternal grandmother until she passed in his early teens. He published his first poem in 1921, at the young age of nineteen years old. Hughes directly praises both Carl Sandburg and Walt Whitman as being his influence to create his own poetry. He graduated from high school and then took some time off to visit his father in Mexico, where more of his poetry came to surface. Then he attended Columbia University for a short period of time, yet seemed to be happier working odd jobs and writing his poetry on the side instead. He worked many odd jobs including, but not limited to; a busboy, a steward on a freighter that traveled to Africa and Spain, as well as a war correspondent during the Spanish-American War. Throughout these travels and varying jobs, Hughes continued to write poetry, publishing several different works that resonated with all Americans. (“Langston Hughes –

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