Hughes's Poetry, Music, and the Harlem Renaissance
The theme of Blues runs through many of Hughes's most famous poems. "The Weary Blues" as my introduction into the heart and soul of his poetry. It was in 1925 that he published this poem that garnered him first prize in the literary contest sponsored by Opportunity. Hughes said this about "The Weary Blues":
It was a poem about a workingman who sang the blues all night and then went bed and slept like a rock. That was all. And it included the first blues verse I'd ever heard way back in Lawrence Kansas when I was a kid.(6)
For Hughes the Blues was a pattern of lyrics, syllables, notes, and images that he was able to capture. Because of his acute sensitivity to beauty as well as a keen musical sense Hughes has the ability to put us in "the moment". His poems are sound bites heard passing by the open door of a café. This form, never before considered in the poetry world, was later termed "Jazz Poetry". Hughes lays out the poem with the first stanza, and then proceeds to tell the story in just such a tone as these first two lines imply:
Droning a drowsy syncopated tune
Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon (7)
This poem must be read aloud as it highlights both the visual and auditory senses. Students can hear the alliteration in "drowsy, and droning", and see the musician rocking back and forth playing his instrument. Just talking about "drowsy, and "droning" and what those words mean will set up the scene for the rest of the reading. Next he changes the pacing with
I heard a Negro play.
This line differs from the previous two in that there is a stopping point. The word "Negro" is important because it distinguishes this musician by his race for the reader. This musician is not just any musician, but an African American artist. Now the character is established. Next we learn
Down on Lenox Avenue the other night
By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
Where, and what time of day the poem takes place. The rhyme has returned and the reader wants to know, "Where is Lenox Avenue? What is a gas light?" Students will have questions about the concept of gas and lights. It rhymes with flashlight, they might think. Perhaps it's that? It is this wondering that will engage students and spur them on to find answers. The next two lines match the first stanza with a chorus of
He did a lazy sway…
He did a lazy sway…
To the tune 'o those Weary Blues.
The poem continues with later punctuations of:
O Blues!
Sweet Blues!
This reminds me of cries of "Halleluiah's" uttered during a Baptist revival meeting. It's shouted, unlike the rest of the poem, which is so slow. We imagine the musician to be almost asleep at his piano. This is a fairly lengthy poem that you might not give your students right away. It's not a children's poem, but one that children can understand, just as they would if they were walking down San Bruno Ave. in Brisbane, and passed by the "23 Club" (a local bar) and heard loud country music. In reading this poem it is important to keep focusing on where Langston places the rhyme, and where he places the refrain. Certain vocabulary words may need to be addressed, such as, syncopated, croon. Negro. craggy, ebony, ivory, and melancholy. Some words that can be looked up in the dictionary, and some words such as "raggy,'gwine, ain't, ma" are all slang terms used at that time that students may or may not be familiar with. I like to imagine my students going home and telling their parents about the new words they learned in school today.
Music is crucial to the teaching of this poem. Bessie Smith, Clara and Trixie Smith, along with Ma Rainey were some of Langston's personal favorites, and although it is mentioned that he couldn't carry a tune he had a great appreciation for Blues.
In 1926 Hughes made his pilgrimage to the "Empress's" domain. Bessie Smith was appearing at the Regent Theatre in Baltimore when the author published his poem, "The Weary Blues." He made his way back to the dressing room to pay his respects. Hughes was disappointed when he asked whether she had a theory about blues as Art, and her reply was that it was a just a way to make money.
There are many versions of recordings of " Weary Blues," and it would be interesting to research both the modern and older versions of the song. Whichever adaptation of the song is used musical accompaniment to this lesson is mandatory. Students need to hear the croon of the jazz singer, and the tinkling keys of the piano. The pounding "thump" of the bass guitar provides an invitation to make noise in the classroom by slapping, clapping, and tapping out that syncopated beat.
One can't appreciate the poems of Langston Hughes without delving into the Harlem Renaissance. By definition a Renaissance is a revival of Art, Literature, and Learning. Such words come to mind as rebirth, renewal, and reawakening. For many African Americans it was a time and place that allowed for freedom of expression, and a sharing of ideas. It was a cultural destination for African Americans moving north spanning 1910-1930, with it's heyday in the 1920's. Gwendolyn Bennet, one of Langston's closest friends and confidantes described it,
as a "fun" period, a joyous time when the emphasis was on community, on an exchange of ideas between artists, and where white folks—authors and party givers-was fodder for gab sessions among black folks. Most of us were middle-class people with middle-class backgrounds. The chief activity was interaction. We just talked incessantly and drank coffee, or just ate and talked. We'd go from one place another and we were always cooking up schemes of what we were going to do and how we were going to conquer the world.(8)
In our Café we will be the ones having the gab sessions, drinking tea, talking, and sharing ideas. One imagines the vibrancy and intimacy of a community where people are bursting to interact, create, and share ideas.
Many famous talents were unveiled at places such as the Savoy Ballroom, the site of the invention of the Lindy Hop, and The Cotton Club where Cab Calloway was known to strut his stuff, as well as Duke Ellington, and Ethel Waters. Another favorite establishment was Smalls where the literary crowd often gathered. Children may think it humorous that one of the most frequented spots was the135 th St. Branch of the New York Public Library, as well as the Harlem YMCA. Poetry readings, and literary events were hosted in both.
The spirit of the Harlem Renaissance was centered in its community of writers, and artists, each expressing his or her own vision yet bound together in a shared undertaking, and with the community of intellectuals, critics, patrons, and publishers allied to create a revolution in African American culture. (9)
This strong sense of community was also evidenced in the form of the Rent Party. Due to overcrowding and a high demand for living quarters rents, in Harlem skyrocketed and the House Rent Party was born. With the influx of the black's movement from the Midwest and the South to New York, the white population was overtaken, leaving landlords mostly African American tenants. They took advantage of this situation by charging $15-$20 more than the white areas of Manhattan. With the high demand and limited supply, apartments were grossly overcrowded, housing as many as three families together in virtually every room of the house. To make the rent, House Rent parties were created. These events were usually held on a Thursday, or Saturday. Thursday was a night off for domestic workers, and Saturday was payday, with Sunday being a day off.
Rent parties were a feature of Harlem nightlife. The host would provide a few folding chairs, a small musical combo, or simply a record player, or even a radio. A small dance floor was a must as dancing went on till all hours. There were the necessary refreshments: bootleg whiskey, bathtub gin, fried chicken, fish, chitterlings, pig's feet, greens, and cornbread were all standard fare. These events were advertised on small cards with catchy phrases such as "Parlor Social" a "Social Whist Party," or a "Tea Cup Party." Hughes described them in his autobiography,
Almost every Saturday night when I was in Harlem
I went to a house-rent party
I wrote lots of poems about house-rent parties,
and ate thereat many a fried fish
and pig's foot (10)
Langston shared more images of Harlem in his Montage of a Dream Deferred. This opus consists of one long poem and eighty-seven separate parts, or poems within the poem. One of these is the poem "Neon Signs."It is a very approachable poem for young children. It is almost a series of snapshots, or Polaroids, of signs seen in Hughes's neighborhood with all its clubs, bars, and hangouts. The poem is merely a list down the page. One may presume that these are the signs Langston sees as he walks down the street every day. Students can do the same thing in their own town of Brisbane. We could stroll down San Bruno Avenue taking photos of signs we see as we walk to the other end of the town to the park. We could then walk back up to school taking a totally different route. Developing the photos, reviewing them and deciding which names to include and which to put aside, could make for some interesting poetry. The activity will produce a form of Found Poetry. Taking the snippets and arranging them into poems will highlight such aspects as structure, word choice, and general technique. What Hughes left out of "Neon Signs" is almost as important as what he kept in.
Another short whimsical poem, "Catch" is a poem 2 nd and 3 rd graders can tackle. Here is the first stanza:
Big Boy came
Carrying a mermaid
On his shoulders
And the mermaid
Had her tail curved
Beneath his arm.(11)
This poem is fantastic as it begs so many questions after the first two lines. "Who is Big Boy? Is it a person, or a creature? Why is he carrying a mermaid? What are mermaids anyway?" The poem uses a form of figurative language that invites inferences and suppositions based on real vs. imagined entities. This is often extremely hard for young children developmentally as they tend to need to "see it to believe it." As we read along we realize that Big Boy is probably a fisherman. This is an interesting poem in its construction. The poem does not rhyme until the last line. I can picture students drawing mermaids, and burly sailors to illustrate what they think are going on in the poem. I envision them conjuring up a Disney cartoon they've watched again and again. It would be a creative exercise to challenge them to concoct their own poems with heroes and heroines involved in a dramatic rescue scene. This proves that Langston was not always "Blue," but had a silly, somewhat sarcastic side, as well.
Perhaps "Big Boy" is the oppressive culture of most of the United States. Maybe the "mermaid" is not a person, or a thing, but a feeling, need, or desire that gets "wrapped" up or conquered. We can discuss how in 1950 when Hughes wrote this poem, segregation was very much in effect. The term "boy" has a strong historical meaning for African Americans and this may also add some depth to our discussion of the poem and our exploration of real vs. imagined.
It is lovely to note that among his triumphs Langston Hughes wrote many poems specifically to be enjoyed by children. The Dream Keeper (1932) is a collection of fifty-nine poems, intended for young readers. Although intended for youngsters, some of the poems include more sophisticated topics such as racism and big conceptual themes such as Dreams. Some of the poems had been printed before in magazines for adults yet Hughes chose to include them here. He believed these poems to be accessible to children and adults. Poems such as "The Weary Blues," "When Sue Wears Red, Negro Dancer," and more are not exactly sugar coated fairy tales, but tales of sadness and struggle told with honesty.
"April Rain Song," is a poem that talks simply and beautifully about rain. Weather is a universal experience. We've all gotten wet either on purpose or by accident and can recall the sensation of rain drops hitting us, and the sounds they make be it a drizzle, or a downpour. This is a technique called sense memory.
Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
This poem is telling us that the rain gives kisses. Of course, we know that this is a figure of speech, but what does it mean? What is a kiss? How does it feel? What kind of kiss is it, and how can we compare it to rain? When we feel raindrops how do they feel? Light, hard, soft, pounding, maybe it's not just rain, but hail that hurts us and stings our skin. A discussion surrounding kisses and rain would be truly hilarious, as seven and eight year olds will surely get giggly talking about kissing. The line "let the rain sing you a lullaby" is evocative in that it further personifies the "rain" as a being that can both "kiss" and "sing you a lullaby." Lullabies are sweet, melodic songs that have a distinct back and forth swing rhythm to them. I would love to try to sing this poem to the tune of "Rock-a-bye Baby" and see how it turns out.
The next stanza of the poem talks about nature in the city and what happens to the water either "still" or "running." Then finally in the last stanza the rain "plays a little sleep-song" just like it did in the first stanza where it "sang the lullaby." The last line of the poem is simply a declaration:
And I love the rain.
These five simple words tell us that the speaker is saying, "Yes to rain!" And maybe even, "Yes to life!" Rain is a symbol of growth, replenishment, nurturing of new life, and maybe comfort in the splat, splat, and drip, drop we hear outside our window as we fall asleep.
Another poem that I think my students would enjoy is "Quiet Girl." Titles are as important to a piece of literature, and as personal, as our names are to us. In "Quiet Girl" the reader does not know who the subject is exactly. She is nameless. The poem was titled "Ardella," but Hughes chose to change that. At the onset we are curious to know who she is: Do we like her? Is she good, or bad? Hughes purposefully does not tell us outright, but gives us clues with his use of similes:
I would liken you
To a night without stars
Were it not for your eyes.
I would liken you
To a sleep without dreams
Were it not for your songs.
Is a night without stars a good thing, or a bad thing? Stars are often thought of as pretty, sparkling, and romantic. I would ask my students to maybe fold a piece of paper in half and draw both versions to see which one they like better. The use of "not" changes the direction of the poem. Her eyes seem to take the place of stars, and possibly brighten his view. Again, is a sleep without dreams a bad thing? Some people don't remember their dreams, whereas I dream constantly and wake up frazzled. We could start a Dream Journal where they record their dreams. "Were it not for your songs" starts with a question word , but Hughes does not end it with a question mark." Songs' then seems to have a positive attribute. He likes her songs, and he likes dreams as well.
Dreams are a recurring theme in Hughes' work. Dreams are often seen as symbols of hope. There are many references specific or implied to hidden dreams, lost dreams, dreams regained, or deferred. It makes sense that for African Americans of the 1920's who had suffered Jim Crow laws and restrictions that this would serve as an overarching theme. Placing the two poems "Dreamkeeper" and "Dreams" in his collection is a conscious choice. Hughes wants to
Inspire black children to revise skewed histories, to inspire black children to live up to their potential.(12)
Isn't that what we want for all children? This is why I find these poems so enduring. In the poem "Dreams" Hughes seems almost strident. "Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die…" It's a warning to children to say that if they don't hold on to their dreams there will be consequences. Just the use of the word "die" makes it severe. Grownups are always saying to children things like, "If you don't' do your homework you'll get bad grades. If you don't eat your vegetables you won't grow strong." These are the kinds of threats parents employ. This poem is only two stanzas in length, but it seems to emphasize in the purest form what Langston Hughes believed, what he had to believe to survive.
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Again he is personifying "Life" as a bird. The extremes of Live vs. Death are heavy, and abstract concepts to ponder for small children, but the basics of cause and effect are real. I don't do my homework-I sit on the bench at recess. I don't eat dinner-I don't get desert. They can relate to the poem on these terms. Hughes is admonishing them to
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
This is very dramatic, especially for California school children that don't experience snow each winter. The use of "barren" brings to mind childlessness and a sense of being unproductive, or stagnant. Struggle, and the attempts to overcome adversity were instilled in Langston as a young child by his grandmother. Hughes is telling the reader, to "hold fast" to this dream. This act is impossible and used as a metaphor. I would ask my students, "Can you hold a dream in your hand? Why didn't he just write, "hold", instead of "hold fast"? I would invite them to think of all the times they've needed to grip someone's hand tightly. We would generate a list of situations where, and when this might occur. We might come up with such examples as crossing the street, in a crowded mall, at a movie theater, the zoo, or an amusement park. These are all situations where dire consequences could result if you did not "hold fast". Hughes spent his early years during the period of the Jim Crow laws. He was not allowed, like other African American students the same freedoms as the white students he sat next to in class. By holding onto something, you keep it alive and close.
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