'Let America Be America Again' by Langston Hughes
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Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he himself is free.
(America never was America to me.)
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed--
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.
(It never was America to me.)
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.")
Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark?
And who are you that draws your veil across the stars?
I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars.
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek--
And finding only the same old stupid plan
Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.
I am the young man, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that ancient endless chain
Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!
Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need!
Of work the men! Of take the pay!
Of owning everything for one's own greed!
I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the machine.
I am the Negro, servant to you all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean--
Hungry yet today despite the dream.
Beaten yet today--O, Pioneers!
I am the man who never got ahead,
The poorest worker bartered through the years.
Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream
In the Old World while still a serf of kings,
Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true,
That even yet its mighty daring sings
In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned
That's made America the land it has become.
O, I'm the man who sailed those early seas
In search of what I meant to be my home--
For I'm the one who left dark Ireland's shore,
And Poland's plain, and England's grassy lea,
And torn from Black Africa's strand I came
To build a "homeland of the free."
The free?
Who said the free? Not me?
Surely not me? The millions on relief today?
The millions shot down when we strike?
The millions who have nothing for our pay?
For all the dreams we've dreamed
And all the songs we've sung
And all the hopes we've held
And all the flags we've hung,
The millions who have nothing for our pay--
Except the dream that's almost dead today.
O, let America be America again--
The land that never has been yet--
And yet must be--the land where every man is free.
The land that's mine--the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME--
Who made America,
Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain,
Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain,
Must bring back our mighty dream again.
Sure, call me any ugly name you choose--
The steel of freedom does not stain.
From those who live like leeches on the people's lives,
We must take back our land again,
America!
O, yes,
I say it plain,
America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath--
America will be!
Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain--
All, all the stretch of these great green states--
And make America again!
Editor 1 Interpretation
Let America Be America Again
Langston Hughes is one of the most influential poets of the 20th century. His works are known for their powerful imagery and socially conscious themes. One of his most iconic pieces, "Let America Be America Again," is a poem that speaks to the struggles and hopes of the American people. This literary criticism and interpretation will explore the themes, structure, and language of this classic poem.
Themes
"Let America Be America Again" is a poem that explores the American Dream and the reality of life for many people in America. Hughes examines the promises that America makes, the realities of inequality and oppression, and the hopes for a better future. The poem is a call to action, urging readers to fight for a more just and equitable society.
One of the central themes in the poem is the American Dream. Hughes writes, "O, let America be America again— / The land that never has been yet— / And yet must be—the land where every man is free." This is a powerful statement of hope that speaks to the promise of America. The idea of the American Dream is that anyone can achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination. However, Hughes acknowledges that this dream has not been fully realized for many people in America. He writes, "America was never America to me, / And yet I swear this oath—/ America will be!"
Another theme in the poem is the reality of inequality and oppression in America. Hughes writes about the struggles of African Americans, immigrants, and other marginalized groups. He writes, "I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, / I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars. / I am the red man driven from the land, / I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek— / And finding only the same old stupid plan." This is a powerful statement about the ways in which America has failed to live up to its promise for many people.
Finally, the poem is a call to action. Hughes urges readers to fight for a more just and equitable society. He writes, "We must take back our land again, / America! / O, yes, / I say it plain, / America never was America to me, / And yet I swear this oath—/ America will be!" This is a call to arms, urging readers to fight for a better future for themselves and for others.
Structure
"Let America Be America Again" is a poem that is structured as a series of stanzas. Each stanza has a different number of lines and a different rhyme scheme. The poem begins with a call to action and ends with a reaffirmation of the American Dream.
The first stanza sets the tone for the poem. It begins with the phrase "Let America be America again," which is repeated throughout the poem. This repetition creates a sense of urgency and emphasizes the importance of the message. The first stanza also introduces the themes of hope and the American Dream.
The following stanzas explore the realities of life in America for many people. Hughes writes about the struggles of African Americans, immigrants, and other marginalized groups. He uses powerful imagery to convey the pain and suffering that these groups have experienced. For example, he writes, "I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart." This image of a white person who is also struggling emphasizes the ways in which poverty and inequality affect everyone.
The poem also includes sections that are written in a more conversational tone. Hughes writes, "Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark? / And who are you that draws your veil across the stars?" These lines are a rhetorical question that challenges readers to think about their own identities and their place in American society.
The poem ends with a reaffirmation of the American Dream. Hughes writes, "O, let America be America again— / The land that never has been yet— / And yet must be—the land where every man is free." This is a powerful statement of hope that emphasizes the need for change.
Language
"Let America Be America Again" is a poem that is written in a powerful and evocative style. Hughes uses language that is both poetic and accessible, making the poem resonate with readers of all backgrounds.
One of the ways that Hughes uses language is to create powerful and evocative imagery. He writes, "I am the red man driven from the land," which is a powerful image of the displacement and suffering of Native Americans. He also writes, "I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek," which is an image of hope and determination in the face of hardship.
Hughes also uses repetition to emphasize the central message of the poem. The phrase "Let America be America again" is repeated throughout the poem, creating a sense of urgency and emphasizing the need for change.
Finally, Hughes uses rhetorical questions to challenge readers to think about their own identities and their place in American society. He writes, "Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark? / And who are you that draws your veil across the stars?" These questions are a powerful reminder that everyone has a stake in the fight for a more just and equitable society.
Conclusion
"Let America Be America Again" is a classic poem that speaks to the struggles and hopes of the American people. Hughes examines the promises that America makes, the realities of inequality and oppression, and the hopes for a better future. The poem is a call to action, urging readers to fight for a more just and equitable society.
The poem's themes, structure, and language are all critical to its success. The themes of hope, the American Dream, and the reality of inequality and oppression are all explored in powerful ways. The structure, with its repetition and conversational tone, creates a sense of urgency and emphasizes the importance of the message. Finally, the language, with its powerful imagery and use of repetition and rhetorical questions, makes the poem accessible and resonant with readers of all backgrounds.
Overall, "Let America Be America Again" is a powerful and important poem that speaks to the struggles and hopes of the American people. It is a call to action, urging readers to fight for a more just and equitable society. As Langston Hughes writes, "America will be!"
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Let America Be America Again: A Poem of Hope and Struggle
Langston Hughes, one of the most celebrated poets of the Harlem Renaissance, wrote the poem "Let America Be America Again" in 1935. This powerful and evocative poem speaks to the hopes and struggles of the American people, particularly those who have been marginalized and oppressed throughout the country's history. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and language of this classic poem, and examine its relevance to our current political and social climate.
The poem begins with a bold declaration: "Let America be America again." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as Hughes calls for a return to the ideals and promises of the American Dream. However, he immediately acknowledges that this dream has been deferred for many Americans, particularly those who have been oppressed by racism, poverty, and inequality. He writes:
"Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain Seeking a home where he himself is free. (America never was America to me.)"
This stanza sets up the central tension of the poem: the contrast between the ideal of America as a land of freedom and opportunity, and the reality of America as a place of oppression and injustice. Hughes acknowledges that for many Americans, the dream of freedom and equality has never been realized. He uses the parenthetical phrase "America never was America to me" to emphasize the fact that for some people, the American Dream has always been a myth.
The poem then shifts to a series of voices, representing different groups of people who have been oppressed in America. Hughes uses a variety of poetic techniques to convey the emotions and experiences of these groups, including repetition, alliteration, and metaphor. For example, in the following stanza, he uses repetition to emphasize the struggles of working-class Americans:
"I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars. I am the red man driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek— And finding only the same old stupid plan Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak."
Here, Hughes uses repetition to create a sense of unity among these disparate groups. By repeating the phrase "I am," he emphasizes the fact that all of these people are Americans, and that they share a common struggle against oppression and inequality. He also uses alliteration to create a sense of rhythm and momentum, as the words "fooled and pushed apart" and "mighty crush the weak" convey a sense of violence and injustice.
Throughout the poem, Hughes uses metaphor to convey the complex emotions and experiences of these groups. For example, in the following stanza, he uses the metaphor of a broken promise to describe the experience of African Americans:
"O, let America be America again— The land that never has been yet— And yet must be—the land where every man is free. The land that's mine—the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME— Who made America, Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain, Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain, Must bring back our mighty dream again."
Here, Hughes uses the metaphor of a broken promise to describe the experience of African Americans. He suggests that the promise of freedom and equality has been made to all Americans, but that it has been broken for many. He also uses the metaphor of a dream to describe the hope and struggle of these groups. By describing the American Dream as a "mighty dream," he emphasizes the fact that it is a powerful and enduring ideal, even if it has not yet been realized.
The poem ends with a call to action, as Hughes urges Americans to work together to realize the promise of the American Dream. He writes:
"O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me, And yet I swear this oath— America will be!"
Here, Hughes uses the repetition of the phrase "America will be" to create a sense of determination and hope. He suggests that while the American Dream has been deferred for many, it is still possible to realize it if Americans work together to overcome oppression and inequality.
In conclusion, "Let America Be America Again" is a powerful and evocative poem that speaks to the hopes and struggles of the American people. Through its use of metaphor, repetition, and alliteration, the poem conveys the complex emotions and experiences of those who have been marginalized and oppressed in America. While the poem was written in 1935, its themes of hope and struggle are still relevant today, as Americans continue to grapple with issues of racism, poverty, and inequality. As Hughes writes, "America will be"—if we work together to realize the promise of the American Dream.
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