Silent Reading, 20 min

Harlem Renaissance Poetry

Countee Cullen
Lucille Clifton

Langston Hughes

You may work with a partner to complete this assignment. Turn in your work at the end of the hour.

1. Read the introduction to the Harlem Renaissance on pp. 816-7. Follow this up by reading the six poems beginning on p. 819 by Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, and Lucille Clifton.

2. Explain where Cullen and Hughes have each included issues or topics unique to African Americans in the 1920s. Sample issues/topics to look for:

a. Racism

b. African American culture (jazz music, traditional African American religious hymns, Biblical stories, famous African Americans)

c. African American history, especially slavery

d. City life

3. For three of the six poems, find examples of the following poetic techniques. The more examples you can find, the better. (not every poem will have examples of all of these)

a. Alliteration

b. Rhyme scheme

c. Repetition

d. Symbolism

e. Onomatopoeia

f. Imagery

g. Internal rhyme

h. Figures of speech (simile, metaphor, personification)

4. Read “I Hear America Singing” on p. 364 of the textbook. Look at “I, Too” below. Explain what Hughes is saying in his response to Whitman.

I, Too by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,

But I laugh,

And eat well,

And grow strong.

Tomorrow,

I'll be at the table

When company comes.

Nobody'll dare

Say to me,

"Eat in the kitchen,"

Then.

Besides,

They'll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.