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~"The Weary Blues."The Weary Blues. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.
~"The Negro Speaks of Rivers."The Negro Speaks of Rivers. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.
~ "Langston Hughes biography: African-American history: Crossing Boundaries: Kansas Humanities Council."Langston Hughes biography: African-American history: Crossing Boundaries: Kansas Humanities Council. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.
~"A Poet Remembers Journalist James Foley."Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, 05 Feb. 2016. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.

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Poetic Devices
Simile - comparing two objects by using the words "like" or "as". "The man's sleeping like a rock."(Hughes, Line 35) This means that the sleeping man is exhausted that he is just still and in a deep sleep.
Allusion- a reference to a well-known person, place,even, or work of art. "Down on Lenox Avenue the other night." (Hughes, Line 4) This is included because it can take connect the story to the outside world.
Alliteration- the repetition of initial consonant sounds of several words in a group. "He played a few chords then he sang some more." (Hughes, Line 23) This is used to help emphasize and link words together.
Personification- is when a nonhuman object is given human characteristics."The stars went out and so did the moon."(Hughes, Line 32) This is used because it makes the written description more vivid.
Onomatopoeia- use of words whose sounds echo their meaning. "Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor." (Hughes, Line 23)
Apostrophe- where a speaker directly addresses an absent person or a personified quality. "O Blues!"(Hughes, Lines 11 and 16) This is used to add emotional intensity to the poem.
The theme of this poem is that music is more than just a beat. Music is used to tell a story and to express any emotions that the writer has. This is a type of lyric poem. This poem is highly musical and it expresses the observations of the speaker. This poem presents an experience but it does not tell a full story. This poem explains how no one could become weary of blues music. The blues is used for people to talk about their depression or heart breaks. Writers get to let out all of their emotions and really express how they feel. During Hughes time the African-American population didn't have a voice. They were very isolated and segregated. With Hughes poetry the African -Americans began to grow with literature and culture. Hughes poems gave them opportunities that would not have happened without his hard work and dedication.

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Poetic Devices
Repetition- a sound, word, or phrase or line is repeated. "Iv'e known rivers." (Hughes, Lines 1, 2, and 11.) This helps emphasize the significance of tho phrase.
Simile- a comparison between two objects while using the words "like" or "as". "My soul has grown deep like the rivers." (Hughes, Lines 4 and 13). Similes are included because it makes the poem more lyrical and interesting.
Refrain- a regularly repeated line or group of lines in a poem. " My soul has grown deep like rivers". (Hughes, Lines 1, 2, and 11) This is used to emphasize the meaning of the rivers.
Allusion- a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work or work of art." I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it."(Hughes, Line 7) This is used to take the reader back to that part of history.
Personification- a non human object that is given human characteristics. " " I built my hut near the Congo an it lulled me to sleep." (Hughes, Line 6) Personification gives the poem life and helps them connect with the audience.
Imagery- the descriptive language used to recreate sensory experiences relating to sight, taste, touch, hearing, and smell. "Iv'e seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset." (Hughes, Lines 9 and 10) This enriches the writing by making it more vivid.
The theme of this poem is about the journey of African-Americans throughout history. It explains their progression in culture and how they overcame all of the struggles. This type of poem is a free verse lyric poem. Like many of Hughes poems he uses lyric poems to present an experience that gives a message but doesn't tell a whole story. The true meaning of this poem revolves around the importance heritage and the way the provide meaning in life. By explaining how he has experienced ancient rivers, it helps us connect the ancient civilization people and the rivers that helped them survive. The African-American culture had a really tough time long ago compared to other cultures. Segregation separated their world to ours until finally it was resolved. Today there is no conflict between our cultures and for the most part are treated equally..

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James Langston Hughes was an African-American poet, writer, novelist, and social activist. He was born on February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri but he lived with his grandmother in Lawrence, Kansas until he was thirteen.When Langston was only a senior in high school he was already began writing poetry.Carl Sandburg and Walk Whitman were a few of the poets that helped Langston became a more mature writer. Hughes wanted to pursue his writing career and with the help of his father, he attended Columbia University in New York City. He began publishing his work in magazines and in 1925 won first prize in the poetry section of the Opportunity magazine. Hughes was one of the first innovators of a literary art form called jazz poetry. In his work he often uses African American music, specifically blues and jazz. Langston was considered to be the "Poet Laureate of the Negro Race," which was a title he was proud to have. On May 22, 1967 Langston passed away after having had abdominal surgery. Langston Hughes meant to represent the race in his writing and he was, perhaps the most original of all African American poets.