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This is a nice overview of the Harlem Renaissance. It gives some background information and mentions several of the more famous contributors.

This was written later in Langston Hughes' career - around 1951.

I think this poem is about giving up on your dreams and describing what can happen to your dreams. "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?". -Jack & Ben

This poem is different from Dreams Varriations because they are a 19 year difference from when they were written. Harlem deferred was written in 1951 and Dreams variations was written in 1932. Dreams variations seems much more sophisticated with the language it uses and Harlem deferred seems much more simple and uses language that is easy to understand.

I liked this poem (Life Is Fine) because it showed what he thought (Langston Hughes) of life when he lived in America. What he thought of Emotions and death and liiving.

This poem can relate to the Harlem Renaissance because in the beginning he talks about how he couldn't think then sank, almost like he just gave in the racism, but then he realized it was cold and realized these times were hard and he came up on a elevator, came up stronger. He got very high which can mean he was getting closer to his goal then talks about how he could've died or given up, but he was born again and ends it with life is fine!

After exploring poems of the Harlem Renaissance, I chose "In Time of Silver Rain" written by Langston Hughes. I enjoyed reading this poem because the poet's description of rain and how it gives birth to new life was very vivid. I especially liked the line, "The butterflies lift silken wings To catch a rainbow cry." I liked how in this line (and others) Hughes used non-living things and gave them human characteristics. Finally, the poem was positive, and I appreciated that the poet discussed how the rains of spring give way to new life. Because the Harlem Renaissance was a rebirth for African Americans, this composition is symbolic of that.

In "To One Coming North" by Claude McKay it gives the idea that winter is harsh and dark and that spring is revival or rebirth do the year. In "Time Of Silver Rain" by Langston Hughes, it gives the idea that rain is the revival or rebirth of a new life that is vivid and colorful.

This poem was similar to "To One Coming North" by Claude McKay because they both shared the same message of rebirth. In both poems, spring was described as joyous and thought to bring hope. The spring was like a light at the end of a dark tunnel; the season made the difficult times worth it. Comment by Molly J and Katelyn M

1. 14 lines 2. Rhyme Scheme 3. Change of thought 4. 10 syllables 5. Rhyme couplets

The poem "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay is a sonnet because 1) It has fourteen lines, 2) There is a change of thought between lines 8 and 9. The thought changed from a dark description of the wrong way to die to a call for people to die with dignity. 3) It has a rhyme scheme (A,B,A,B,C,D,C,D,E,F,E,F,G,G). 4) It only has one couplet that rhymes. "Like men we'll face the cowardly pack/Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!" 5) Each line has ten syllables.

"If We Must Die" by Claude Mckay shows a striking resemblance to part of MLKs "I Have a Dream" Speech. While reading " We cannot walk alone. And as we walk,we must pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back." I couldn't help but think of this poem."Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!" In this poem he talks about how death is death and even if they cannot escape death, staying together will make them strong even after they're slain.MLK speaks of the same thing, they can all have the same aspiration to have equality,but if they do not stand up together nothing will be changed. MLK would have never been able to change the country without the support of millions on his side. This is true with many leaders who gain their power by grouping people and being the figure head of their change.

This picture represents hope because even though these people are being sold they believe they can create a new life in the city.

This poem shows hope because the people are very proud about what they are doj g and there is a light shining on them to show hope

Instead of the North Star bringing these people to freedom and hope, the birds are the sign of hope and a new world in this scenario. The people are following the birds to the north and their seems to be hope, because the people have packed up their stuff, left their homes and are traveling to the north.

I chose this poem because it although was written after the time of slavery, Langston Hughes still thinks that America is not completely fee, America is not America to him, there is no equality for him, this poem expresses his feelings of America

Let America be America by Langston Hughes s very opposite to Claude McKay's To One coming north. This is because McKay says such good things about the north and all this equality, but Hughes disagrees, he says that America is a free place but not to him, he has no equality there, freedom does not spread to him. Their points of view are very different.

"Let America Be America Again" By Langston Hughes is a negative poem. Criticizing the way America treats its lower class but vital citizens, this poem uses quotes from famous documents like the Declaration of Independence to show that America never achieved its dream of equality. A positive counter-image is seen in Aaron Douglas's "Song of the Towers". In the foreground of this painting, a man stands on a bridge made of a gear in front of a row of towers. Between two towers, the statue of liberty is visible, shining a bright light on the man.

I chose this poem because the way he spoke interested me, "Lawdy-mercy! I's frustrated!" He speaks with such a southern taste even though he lives in New York. He also seemed non-content with his life as in many of his other poems which he seems that equality doesn't spread to him.

Coming north and this poem are very similar, in this poem hes upset that his shoes mismatched with is like the mismatched ideas that people have in the northern land

I like this poem because it describes what kind of segregation was between black and whites and he was writing about the differences in freedom they had.

I chose this poem because I liked how he used a wall to show something keeping him from accomplishing his dreams.

"As I Grew Older" was Langston's Hughes' dream for the sun, the sky, freedom, equality. But in it, he was hindered, by a wall, that he could not pass, his enemies, the people who discriminated him. "And then the wall rose, Rose slowly, Slowly, Between me and my dream. Rose until it touched the sky- The wall. Shadow. I am black. I lie down in the shadow. No longer the light of my dream before me" But going back to the beginning of the poem, Langston seems to have lost hope, he has almost forgotten his dream, his desire to be the same as everyone else. So he fights on... Find my dream! "Help me to shatter this darkness, To smash this night, To break this shadow Into a thousand lights of sun, Into a thousand whirling dreams Of sun" He fights for what he thinks is right, he fights not for himself, but for people who feel the way he does, his dream speaks for everyone.

In both of these poems Langston is talking about how he had a dream and that he is trying to achieve his dreams, but also how it feels to be without dream. In "As I Grew Older", Langston describes how a dark wall blocks the light-hope-of his dream. He then describes how he broke through the wall and saw the light of his dream again. In "Dreams", Langston describes how it feels to be without a dream suggesting that he has been through that time and has come through and can see his dream again.

I like this poem because it talks about how he isn't really free, and how he wants America to be accepting of all people.

I like this poem becuase it has humor and some liveliness in the rhyming but it also has some seriousness in the fact that thye story is about a woman with no one to love.

What does the title of this poem suggest about McKay's audience? What is McKay's literal message? What is his figurative message?

This poem is very positive because Claude McKay is describing how the north is a beuatiful place. Then he goes on to say that the winter gets boring but then it blooms into a great bright beautiful accepting spring. On the other hand, "One Friday Morning" by Langston Hughes refelects on America negativley saying how America discriminates against African Americans and how it reflects on its culture and doesn't accept them into society.

America is portrayed in a positive sense in "To One Coming North" by Claude McKay. McKay describes America's faults, but later explains how the faults make it different from his home and therefore better. McKay explains this when he says: "But oh! more than the changeless southern isles/ When Spring has shed upon the earth her charm/ You'll love the Northland wreathed in golden smiles/ By the miraculous sun turned glad and warm." However, Langston Hughes disagrees with Claude McKay's view on America in his poem "Let America Be America Again". Hughes uses an opposite view as McKay, he explains all the good values America has, but doesn't follow. "O, let my land be a land where Liberty/Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath/ But opportunity is real, and life is free/ Equality is in the air we breathe./ (There's never been equality for me/ Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.")" Both poems effectively describe what it was like to live during the Harlem Renaissance, but the author's outlook on life are quite different.

This poem is about the beauty of the north in spring.

In the poem spring in New Hampshire Claude McKay describes the beauty of America and all of the things it has to offer. But in Let America be America Again Langston Hughes describes the things that America has done wrong and how it should stop descriminating.