Poetry Analysis Was the Notion of Jazz

¶ … poetry analysis was the notion of Jazz Poetry. This is a form that the author has strong hold of. The author does a good job of connecting the socio-historical context of time the poems were written to the type of poetry in general. That is to say that the author does a good job of realizing that the content of the poetry as well as the form of poetry were products of the times.

The author could have done a better job of strengthening the connection between Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes. It was a good point to bring up how Whitman influenced Hughes, but their connection has the potential to go much deeper than that. Walt Whitman was a homosexual man, which was far more taboo in his lifetime than it is in 21st century America (for the most part). Hughes was an African-American man in a society controlled by white people. Although Whitman was also white and although the struggle of blacks in America is different from the struggle of gays in America, those struggles are still very closely related. The author could have made this connection.

Both poets were male and occupied positions outside of the norm in their society. Their differences from the norm made them outsiders from the perspective of the majority, yet they both were amazing poets who gave voice to perspectives that were just as important as just as American as those that shunned them. Whitman's homosexuality is not hard information to locate, so this would not be some obscure information to bring up. The connection that they are both voices of marginalized groups, who though different, were in some kind of poetic conversation with each other across time, is more interesting and less superficial that the connection presented in the paper currently.

The introduction could have been strengthened as well. The essay is not about the various kinds of formatting in poetry, such as the lengths of the lines. If it were, then the introduction would be fully appropriate. The length is just fine, but the connection to the main theme is not apparent and a bit of a stretch. Perhaps the author can introduce the essay by talking about themes in poetry or movements in American poetry that are connected? Another idea is to talk about poetry's connection to movement, rhythm, and music, since the author comments on the rhythm of Whitman's poetry, and the musical qualities to Hughes' poetry. This would be a more attention grabbing and relevant introduction than the one that is there now.