Tales of a Harlem Bard

In the poem, "The Negro speaks of Rivers," Hughes expertly uses metaphors and symbols to draw contrasts between human suffering and history, as well as foster verisimilitude. The refrain, "I've known rivers," shows the longevity of earth and the human race itself. Hughes paints a bittersweet image of history when he contrasts the successes of civilization against the cost of human suffering. The rivers are like "human blood in human veins," which can represent the bloodshed and wars spilt into the rivers of history. The river is also "dusky" showing that it is not innocent, but sullied by the toils of men. When Hughes writes, "I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset," he shows how one man's success comes from another man's pain. And though, in the end, everything becomes "golden," consequences have an everlasting impact on its people. But humans survive the storm, and from troubled waters we gain vitality and wisdom. Our "souls grow deep" with knowledge of burden and hope. Hughes claims to have lived millions of years through his first person point of view, but this literary technique not only creates the appearance of truth, but also successfully recollects the history of an oppressed people. Though he is primarily referencing the African Americans, his allusions to the Euphrates and the Nile civilizations (those that were not considered "African") draw deeper connections to all mankind. In an essence, the poem becomes a cry against slavery and a rally for hope, strength, knowledge, and peace.