Poetry for Young People

Hughes, L. (1994).  Poetry for young people.  New York: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.



 

The poems in this collection are all written by a single poet, Langdon Hughes.  The collection features narrative poems, with intriguing titles, such as "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and "Walkers of the Dawn".  Many of Hughes's poems talk of slavery and the struggles of African Americans throughout history.  Hughes uses simile in many of his poems.  One example comes from his poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" where he writes "My soul has grown deep like the rivers".  He also uses dialect in his writing by using the word "I's" which means I have or I am, and also "de" for the, and "ma" for my because that is the way the characters in his poems would actually speak.  His poems are mainly written in free verse,
but one example of rhyme is "Genius Child", on page 32, in which it says "This is a song for the genius child. Sing it softly, for the song is wild". 

 

Hughes's poetry is sometimes dark and moody, reflecting the struggle he sometimes felt.  His poems reflect the African American culture, and he was probably the best know African American  poet from the 1920's until his death in 1967.  Because his poems are mainly written in free verse, I would recommend this book for older students between grades 7-12.  I feel that this would not hold the attention of younger readers, although the illustrations are great.