I went down to the river,
I set down on the bank.
I tried to think but couldn't,
So I jumped in and sank.
I came up once and hollered!
I came up twice and cried!
If that water hadn't a-been so cold
I might've sunk and died.
But it was Cold in that water! It was cold!
I took the elevator
Sixteen floors above the ground.
I thought about my baby
And thought I would jump down.
I stood there and I hollered!
I stood there and I cried!
If it hadn't a-been so high
I might've jumped and died.
But it was High up there! It was high!
So since I'm still here livin',
I guess I will live on.
I could've died for love--
But for livin' I was born
Though you may hear me holler,
And you may see me cry--
I'll be dogged, sweet baby,
If you gonna see me die.
Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine!
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This poem uses simple language, but still says everything it has to say. I especially enjoy the enthusiasm of the speaker, and also his direct address of the reader ("sweet baby"). However, despite this enthusiasm, the poem is deeply sad. The speaker can only "guess I will live on," just because "for livin' I was born." He has a sad life ("you may hear me holler"), but just can't bring himself to die. He concludes by desperately trying to convince himself that "Life is fine!" This is not an optimistic assertion; instead, the speaker is basically trying to brainwash himself. The speaker figures out that, although life may not be so fine, he doesn't want to die.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the lyric from "Old Man River" (from the musical Showboat):
ReplyDeleteI get weary
and sick of tryn'
I'm tired of livin'
and scared of dyin'
I like Langston Hughes. One of my favorites by him is Dreams:
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow
Two succinct metaphors.
Okay I just posted a comment and I lost it somehow. So here it is again. Maybe it will post twice.
ReplyDeleteThis poem reminds of a lyric from Ole Man River ( a song from the musical Showboat):
I get weary
and sick of tryin'
I'm tired of livin'
and scared of dyin'
One of my favorite poems by Hughes is Dreams:
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow
Two lovely succint metaphors!