Langston Hughes enchanted the world as he threw the truth of the pain that the Negro society had endured into most of his works. He attempted to make it clear that society in America was still undeniably racist. For example, Conrad Kent Rivers declared, "Oh if muse would let me travel through Harlem with you as the guide, I too, could sing of black America" (Rampersad 297). From his creativity and passion for the subject matter, he has been described as one of the most penetrating and captivating writers in the history of humankind. He also was described as "quite possibly the most grossly misjudged poet of major importance in America" (Jemie 187). He entrances you into his poetry, and at the same time, reveals the "nitty-gritty" truth in modern society. His works do not all contain the same attitude, but do have the same concepts of the lives of the common black folk (ALCU 313). "The Negro Speaks of Rivers"1 and "Harlem (A Dream Deferred)"2 are two examples of Langston Hughes' artistry in poetic expression that can be dissimilar while still expressing the same views on the tribulations of African-Americans.

"Harlem (A Dream Deferred)" is short, to the point and opens up Langston Hughes

Rampersad, Arnold. The Life of Langston Hughes: I Dream a World. Vol. 2. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.

"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" is perhaps Langston Hughes' most profound and "most often quoted poem" (Berry 29). The concept is of an individuals' soul that has endured through the ages of time and has been able to see the role changes of African-Americans. It uses repetitious statements throughout, and one of these statements also concludes it: "My soul has grown deep like the rivers" (McMahon, Day, and Funk 589). "It is a sonorous evocation of transcedent essences so ancient as to appear timeless, predating human existence, longer than human memory" (Jemie 103). This poem utilizes symbolism at great extent. For example, the rivers symbolize an extension of God's body and contribute to His immortality. The rivers chosen for the poem are all famous rivers that are recognized as having mystery and a continuous flow (the Euphrates, the Congo, the Nile, and the Mississippi). The rivers also appear in order of their role in black history. The "soul" in the poem belongs to an individual that has bonded with the rivers' essences, thus giving him/her the immortality of the rivers (or God's immortality). The turning point that leads to the prosperous future is the great Mississippi turning from muddy water into gold. This represents President Abraham Lincoln's Proclamation. As time goes by, civilizations rise and fall while the rivers deepen. This in turn gives the "soul" more experience and as the rivers continuously flow, the "soul" will survive.

The deferred dream consists of little things of no great effect individually. Once bound up together, they create an immense tension. The tension builds as time goes by and becomes overwhelming for anyone to handle for an extensive amount of time. This is the "load," or the accumulation of little things able to be handled when all combined. The "load" over time begins to drag the individual down or cause them to "sag." If the l

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