The Relation between Language and Content in Poetry

         

In Langston Hughes’s poem, he delivers a much more angry approach. In the beginning of the poem, he states “Just a herd of Negroes Driven to the field.” This particular line describes Negroes as silent farm animals, like oxen’s or donkeys. They were required to go and work in the cotton field without any recognition of intelligence or individual worth. Langston Hughes openly expresses his opinion in this poem. The reason behind the abuse was the skin color. Hughes is clearly angry and upset because of the slavery with African American workers. The abuse had no   clear beginning and the end will not be merciful.

 David Wagoner’s poem, “Their Bodies”, is a great and bittersweet piece of work. Wagoner use of metaphors dissected subjects and expressed dignity for the individual. He also made mention to the reader that each procedure was innocent or once a parent. David explains that bodies should be handled “truly and politely.”

The three poems reminded the readers through metaphors that an individual’s value is particularly not determined by age, sex, or race. Why the individuals in these particular poems fight back against the agony, pain, and suffocation?

In the poem “The Song of the Factory Worker”, Collins described the red brick building as a bad drug habit. The individuals want to leave, but they are brought back because of their happy bondage, “the happy laughter” and “the songs they sing”. This description is just like drug addict wanting to quit drugs. Individuals using drugs want to quit, but the bondage of a feel good high keeps them coming back.

Langston Hughes expresses a great deal of anger toward repression and racism. He is an African American writer, who is angry with himself and his brothers. Hughes does not describe attractive elements of a woman or beautiful colors in a butterfly. “Year by year goes by and we are nothing more”, the reader could visualize the Negroes pains and understand why they thought there was not any hope.

The sweet and settle poem was the “Their Bodies.” This particular poem rebels against individuals that acquire knowledge from experience. The body is a dynamic vessel that has a name, past, and family. The old man is described as “scars of steel-mill on the backs of his hands, on the nape of his neck, on his arms and sinewy legs”. Assuming that this is not a spiritual work of Jesus, the dead body is a miracle. The readers are reminded to their best to learn “truly and politely.”

The three poems are written with fantastic, superb, and great metaphoric language. Although the positions are different, the plot of each poem relates working. Whether white or black, old or young, female or male, the poems display dignity for individuals.

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Reference

LaRocco, C., Coughlin, J.(1996) The Art of Work. An Anthology of Workplace Literature