Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.
In the poems The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes and My Papas Waltz by Theodore Roethke, metaphors and allegories are used to add depth to the descriptions. The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes is an allegorical depiction of the history of the black race. In the poem, a black man talks about the rivers he has known, ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins, and the historical events he has witnessed ( The Negro Speaks of Rivers ). The author implies that the black soul has incorporated all of this historical experience and has grown deep like the rivers ( The Negro Speaks of Rivers ). The poem stresses each individuals connection with their race and human civilization in general.
My Papas Waltz by Theodore Roethke depicts a scene of a father and son dancing together, with dance used as a metaphor to describe the father-son relationship. The boy clings to his drunken father, who dances around the house, although his movements are clumsy, and the smell of whiskey makes the boy dizzy. The poetic language is used to convey the boys mixed feelings. On the one hand, he is uncomfortable and afraid of his father: At every step you missed / My right ear scraped a buckle ( My Papas Waltz ). On the other hand, he enjoys his company and the closeness between them: Then waltzed me off to bed / Still clinging to your shirt ( My Papas Waltz ). The poem uses metaphors to address the topics of parental roles, alcoholism, and child security. Overall, both The Negro Speaks of Rivers and My Papas Waltz are examples of poems that reach the reader through simple but powerful poetic devices.
Works Cited
Hughes, Langston. The Negro Speaks of Rivers. Poetry Foundation, n.d.
Roethke, Theodore. My Papas Waltz. Poetry Foundation, n.d.
Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.