The instructor said,
Go home and write
a page tonight.
And let that page come out of you--
Then, it will be true.
I wonder if it's that simple?
I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem.
I went to school there, then Durham, then here
to this college on the hill above Harlem.
I am the only colored student in my class.
The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem,
through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas,
Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y,
the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator
up to my room, sit down, and write this page:
It's not easy to know what is true for you or me
at twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what
I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:
hear you, hear me--we two--you, me, talk on this page.
(I hear New York, too.) Me--who?
Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.
I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.
I like a pipe for a Christmas present,
or records--Bessie, bop, or Bach.
I guess being colored doesn't make me not like
the same things other folks like who are other races.
So will my page be colored that I write?
Being me, it will not be white.
But it will be
a part of you, instructor.
You are white--
yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.
That's American.
Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me.
Nor do I often want to be a part of you.
But we are, that's true!
As I learn from you,
I guess you learn from me--
although you're older--and white--
and somewhat more free.
This is my page for English B.
Initial Interpretation:
Hughes is writing this poem for his English class. In the poem he is questioning the assignment and comparing himself to the teacher and both of them to the whole world.
He is describing himself and also asking questions about who he really is.
Paraphrase:
My instructor said, "Go home and write a page tonight. Let that page come out of you -- then it will be true." I wonder if it is that simple to write a true paper. I am twenty-two, colored, and born in Winston-Salem where I went to school. Then Durham, then this school on a hill above Harlem. I am the only colored person in my class. I walk down the steps into Harlem, through a park and I come to the Harlem Branch Y where I sit in my room and write this page:
SWIFTT:
SW- Hughes is writing this as a paper for his professor. There is no structure in the poem. When he talks about things that he likes, he uses words that are specific to all people, not just the people of a certain race.
I- There are no images in the poem.
F- The figurative language is Hughes saying that the instructor and himself are part of each other. It is physically impossible, but he means more like mentally or rather they are part of a whole group of people.
T- The tone of the poem is questioning. Hughes is basically asking if they can be the same and if a paper can be true when he is colored and the instructor and the paper are not.
T- Because of the time period when this poem was written, Hughes really just wants to make the point that he and the instructor aren't different just because of their race; that there is more to a person than the color of his skin.
Conclusion:
I like the poem. It says a lot about the time period and how Hughes wasn't distinguishing himself from the other white people, but instead saying he is just like them. They are all human beings and shouldn't be thought of as different just because of their color.
I don't know what is true for you or me. I guess I am what I feel, see, and hear. I hear Harlem and New York. Who am I? Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, be in love, work, read, learn, and understand life. I like the same things people who aren't colored like. Is this page that I write also colored?
If the paper is me then it will not be white. But it is also part of you, teacher. You are white but you are also part of me as I am part of you. That is America. I know you don't want to be part of me sometimes and I don't want to be a part of you wither. I learn from you and I think you learn from me even though you are older, white, and more free.
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