Poem- "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hug

[Ms. Knarr]

The Negro Speaks of Rivers By Langston Hughes 1902–1967 Langston Hughes

I’ve known rivers:
I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins.


My soul has grown deep like the rivers.


I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset.


I’ve known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.


My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

[chrismarrie]

1. In my opinion, this poem is focused around wisdom. I think this is written in a story form, showing the narrators life experience. The poem used many metaphors, since it was would be impossible for him to actually know rivers ancient as the world, and he is saying that he has been on earth long enough to experience everything he can imagine. Since the poem's title is "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," I would assume it was even more specifically from a slaves point of view. This slave has gone through so many things, from the point of being a slave up until what seems to be his freedom as "Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans." I also think the last line, which is repeated throughout the poem, is saying how his soul can now handle anything.

2. Overall, I liked this poem because it used these metaphors to make a clear point. It did not get side tracked or talk about random things like some of the other poems. What I also liked was how it was unique, in that there doesn't seem to be one clear message. This makes it open to all different types of interpretations, depending on what you think these rivers represent.

3.( My questions)
What do think these rivers represent?
What is lulling the narrator to sleep in line 5?
Is his soul growing deep supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing?
Do you think this slave was set free at the end of the poem?

[matpolanco]

Hi Chris we could take it in that way which I am a fan of your opinion. Especially when he says that his soul has grown like the rivers. But what if he is just being literal and straight forward with us. maybe he is talking about how rivers are older than us and that really our life relies on rivers and water. Rivers are used tor transportation, farming and drinking. Often times people would be living by rivers for easy access so maybe he is just talking about all the rivers he knows of and has used and lived by.
I liked this poem. Not only does it talk about rivers and life. But it also brings you all around the world . From Egypt to Mississippi. It almost takes the readers on a journey in such little wording. It's just great to see simple poetry that means so much.
Chris's first Q: Rivers represent life. Water is flowing down the river and a human is growing in age. the water flows and flows until it reaches the ocean that could be almost like heaven.
My Question: What do you think that the Journey from river to river around the world represents in the poem? We start in Congo, move to Egypt and find ourselves in Mississippi.

[mikeriga]

1.) After reading this poem it is clear that this poem is all about slavery and the civilizations that were built around the rivers mentioned. The first river mentioned is the Euphrates river where the Tigris-Euphrates were, and here throughout history there was slavery, especially when the Persians inhabitanted the land. Throughout the Congo especially before the 1900s there was intense slave trading; slaves were taken from there lands and brought to countries like Britain and also the "New World." Many of Africans were bought or stolen, and then taken down the Congo river. The Nile had the most slavery during the time of Ancient Egypt when the Hebrews were under captive. Finally, the states bordering the Mississippi river all had slavery until it was abolished completely in the 1900s. So this poem is all about slavery and the people that were in slavery along these rivers. It reminds us of all the mistakes we have made in our past, but also how we should stay clear of adding another river or civilization of using slavery to this list.

2.) I really enjoyed this poem because the way it is written is really creative. All of the metaphors are really interesting and eye opening when you notice them. When people hear of slavery they instantly think of African Americans, but there was and still are so many people under chains of slavery due to race, religion, and sex. I really enjoyed this work by Langston Hughes because he gives hope to a better future to those who are under captive, because people who were restrained by slavery eventually became free. I find Chris' view of this work quite interesting on how it is about wisdom, but there is no way this is about the narrator's past experience. The reason is due to the fact that there was no slavery by the Nile or Euphrates during the time this was written.


3.) To answer the first question: The rivers are described like human blood through veins that's a metaphor on how we are all to blame for past events with slavery. Overall, they represent slavery in general throughout history and the people who were affected by them.

4.) My question: What does the narrator mean when he says, "his soul has grown deep like rivers"?