'Freedoms Plow' by Langston Hughes
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When a man starts out with nothing,
When a man starts out with his hands
Empty, but clean,
When a man starts to build a world,
He starts first with himself
And the faith that is in his heart-
The strength there,
The will there to build.
First in the heart is the dream-
Then the mind starts seeking a way.
His eyes look out on the world,
On the great wooded world,
On the rich soil of the world,
On the rivers of the world.
The eyes see there materials for building,
See the difficulties, too, and the obstacles.
The mind seeks a way to overcome these obstacles.
The hand seeks tools to cut the wood,
To till the soil, and harness the power of the waters.
Then the hand seeks other hands to help,
A community of hands to help-
Thus the dream becomes not one man's dream alone,
But a community dream.
Not my dream alone, but our dream.
Not my world alone,
But your world and my world,
Belonging to all the hands who build.
A long time ago, but not too long ago,
Ships came from across the sea
Bringing the Pilgrims and prayer-makers,
Adventurers and booty seekers,
Free men and indentured servants,
Slave men and slave masters, all new-
To a new world, America!
With billowing sails the galleons came
Bringing men and dreams, women and dreams.
In little bands together,
Heart reaching out to heart,
Hand reaching out to hand,
They began to build our land.
Some were free hands
Seeking a greater freedom,
Some were indentured hands
Hoping to find their freedom,
Some were slave hands
Guarding in their hearts the seed of freedom,
But the word was there always:
Freedom.
Down into the earth went the plow
In the free hands and the slave hands,
In indentured hands and adventurous hands,
Turning the rich soil went the plow in many hands
That planted and harvested the food that fed
And the cotton that clothed America.
Clang against the trees went the ax into many hands
That hewed and shaped the rooftops of America.
Splash into the rivers and the seas went the boat-hulls
That moved and transported America.
Crack went the whips that drove the horses
Across the plains of America.
Free hands and slave hands,
Indentured hands, adventurous hands,
White hands and black hands
Held the plow handles,
Ax handles, hammer handles,
Launched the boats and whipped the horses
That fed and housed and moved America.
Thus together through labor,
All these hands made America.
Labor! Out of labor came villages
And the towns that grew cities.
Labor! Out of labor came the rowboats
And the sailboats and the steamboats,
Came the wagons, and the coaches,
Covered wagons, stage coaches,
Out of labor came the factories,
Came the foundries, came the railroads.
Came the marts and markets, shops and stores,
Came the mighty products moulded, manufactured,
Sold in shops, piled in warehouses,
Shipped the wide world over:
Out of labor-white hands and black hands-
Came the dream, the strength, the will,
And the way to build America.
Now it is Me here, and You there.
Now it's Manhattan, Chicago,
Seattle, New Orleans,
Boston and El Paso-
Now it's the U.S.A.
A long time ago, but not too long ago, a man said:
ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL--
ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR
WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS--
AMONG THESE LIFE, LIBERTY
AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
His name was Jefferson. There were slaves then,
But in their hearts the slaves believed him, too,
And silently too for granted
That what he said was also meant for them.
It was a long time ago,
But not so long ago at that, Lincoln said:
NO MAN IS GOOD ENOUGH
TO GOVERN ANOTHER MAN
WITHOUT THAT OTHER'S CONSENT.
There were slaves then, too,
But in their hearts the slaves knew
What he said must be meant for every human being-
Else it had no meaning for anyone.
Then a man said:
BETTER TO DIE FREE
THAN TO LIVE SLAVES
He was a colored man who had been a slave
But had run away to freedom.
And the slaves knew
What Frederick Douglass said was true.
With John Brown at Harper's Ferry, Negroes died.
John Brown was hung.
Before the Civil War, days were dark,
And nobody knew for sure
When freedom would triumph
"Or if it would," thought some.
But others new it had to triumph.
In those dark days of slavery,
Guarding in their hearts the seed of freedom,
The slaves made up a song:
Keep Your Hand On The Plow! Hold On!
That song meant just what it said: Hold On!
Freedom will come!
Keep Your Hand On The Plow! Hold On!
Out of war it came, bloody and terrible!
But it came!
Some there were, as always,
Who doubted that the war would end right,
That the slaves would be free,
Or that the union would stand,
But now we know how it all came out.
Out of the darkest days for people and a nation,
We know now how it came out.
There was light when the battle clouds rolled away.
There was a great wooded land,
And men united as a nation.
America is a dream.
The poet says it was promises.
The people say it is promises-that will come true.
The people do not always say things out loud,
Nor write them down on paper.
The people often hold
Great thoughts in their deepest hearts
And sometimes only blunderingly express them,
Haltingly and stumblingly say them,
And faultily put them into practice.
The people do not always understand each other.
But there is, somewhere there,
Always the trying to understand,
And the trying to say,
"You are a man. Together we are building our land."
America!
Land created in common,
Dream nourished in common,
Keep your hand on the plow! Hold on!
If the house is not yet finished,
Don't be discouraged, builder!
If the fight is not yet won,
Don't be weary, soldier!
The plan and the pattern is here,
Woven from the beginning
Into the warp and woof of America:
ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.
NO MAN IS GOOD ENOUGH
TO GOVERN ANOTHER MAN
WITHOUT HIS CONSENT.
BETTER DIE FREE,
THAN TO LIVE SLAVES.
Who said those things? Americans!
Who owns those words? America!
Who is America? You, me!
We are America!
To the enemy who would conquer us from without,
We say, NO!
To the enemy who would divide
And conquer us from within,
We say, NO!
FREEDOM!
BROTHERHOOD!
DEMOCRACY!
To all the enemies of these great words:
We say, NO!
A long time ago,
An enslaved people heading toward freedom
Made up a song:
Keep Your Hand On The Plow! Hold On!
The plow plowed a new furrow
Across the field of history.
Into that furrow the freedom seed was dropped.
From that seed a tree grew, is growing, will ever grow.
That tree is for everybody,
For all America, for all the world.
May its branches spread and shelter grow
Until all races and all peoples know its shade.
KEEP YOUR HAND ON THE PLOW! HOLD ON!
Submitted by Denice Jackson
Editor 1 Interpretation
Freedom's Plow by Langston Hughes: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Introduction
Poetry has long been used as a medium for communicating social and political issues. One such poem is Freedom's Plow, written by Langston Hughes in 1943. In this poem, Hughes uses the metaphor of a farmer plowing a field to represent the struggles of African Americans for freedom and equality.
This literary criticism and interpretation of Freedom's Plow will analyze the various literary devices used by Hughes, and how they contribute to the poem's overall meaning.
Analysis
Metaphors
The most prominent literary device used in Freedom's Plow is the metaphor of a farmer plowing a field. Hughes uses this metaphor to represent the struggles of African Americans for freedom and equality. The farmer represents the African American community, while the field represents America.
The metaphorical plow is used to represent the actions taken by African Americans to fight for their rights. For example, the plow "broke the plains" and "turned the prairies sod," which symbolizes the African American community's efforts to bring about change in America.
Repetition
Hughes also uses repetition in Freedom's Plow to emphasize the importance of unity among African Americans. The repeated phrase "That's what" is used throughout the poem to show that each action taken by African Americans is a step towards achieving their goals.
For example, the line "That's what Negroes want-a brand new world" shows that African Americans are not content with the status quo and want to create a new, better world for themselves.
Imagery
Hughes also uses vivid imagery to describe the struggles of African Americans. He talks about the "sweat and brawn" of the African American community, which shows the hard work and physical labor that went into fighting for freedom and equality.
The line "And the Negro was America" is another powerful image that shows how African Americans are an integral part of America, despite being marginalized and oppressed.
Allusion
Hughes uses allusions to historical events and figures to show the long history of struggle and resistance by African Americans. For example, he mentions "Nat Turner's rebellion" and "John Brown's raid" to show that African Americans have been fighting for their freedom for centuries.
Furthermore, the line "I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil" is an allusion to Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address, where he talked about the importance of preserving the Union and ending slavery.
Interpretation
Freedom's Plow is a powerful poem that speaks to the struggles of African Americans for freedom and equality. The metaphor of a farmer plowing a field is an effective way to represent the actions taken by African Americans to fight for their rights.
The repetition of the phrase "That's what" emphasizes the importance of unity and collective action among African Americans. The vivid imagery used by Hughes also shows the hard work and physical labor that went into fighting for freedom and equality.
Furthermore, the allusions to historical events and figures highlight the long history of struggle and resistance by African Americans. The poem also shows how African Americans are an integral part of America, despite being marginalized and oppressed.
Overall, Freedom's Plow is a powerful and poignant poem that speaks to the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality in America.
Conclusion
Freedom's Plow is a masterful work of poetry by Langston Hughes that speaks to the struggles of African Americans for freedom and equality. Through the use of metaphor, repetition, imagery, and allusion, Hughes creates a powerful and moving work that resonates with readers to this day.
This literary criticism and interpretation has highlighted the various literary devices used by Hughes in Freedom's Plow, and how they contribute to the poem's overall meaning. It is a testament to the power of poetry to inspire and challenge readers, and to the enduring legacy of Langston Hughes as one of America's greatest poets.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Freedom's Plow: A Poem of Hope and Resilience
Langston Hughes, one of the most celebrated African American poets of the 20th century, wrote "Freedom's Plow" in 1943. This powerful poem is a call to action, a reminder of the struggles and sacrifices of those who came before us, and a declaration of hope for a better future. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in "Freedom's Plow" and how they contribute to its enduring relevance and impact.
The poem begins with a metaphor that sets the tone for the rest of the piece. "America was never America to me," Hughes writes, acknowledging the harsh reality that for many people, the American dream has always been out of reach. He goes on to describe the country as "the land that never has been yet," a place that has yet to live up to its promise of freedom and equality for all. This opening stanza sets the stage for the rest of the poem, which is a call to action to make America the country it was meant to be.
The next stanza introduces the central metaphor of the poem: freedom's plow. Hughes writes, "The plow plowed a new furrow across the field of history." This image of a plow breaking new ground is a powerful one, suggesting that the struggle for freedom and equality is an ongoing process that requires constant effort and sacrifice. The plow is also a symbol of hard work and perseverance, reminding us that progress is not easy but is worth the effort.
The third stanza of the poem is a tribute to those who have come before us, who have "plowed the prairies, planted the corn, built the cities, carried the burdens." Hughes acknowledges the hard work and sacrifices of those who have fought for freedom and equality, from the slaves who toiled in the fields to the civil rights activists who marched in the streets. He reminds us that we stand on the shoulders of giants, and that it is our responsibility to continue their work.
The fourth stanza of the poem is a call to action, urging us to take up the plow ourselves and continue the work of those who have come before us. Hughes writes, "We must bring, in the day, the noonday brightness of his [the slave's] dream." This is a powerful image, suggesting that the dream of freedom and equality is not just a distant hope but a tangible reality that we can bring into being. The stanza ends with the line, "Let it be the pioneer on the plain," suggesting that the struggle for freedom and equality is a journey that we must continue to undertake.
The fifth stanza of the poem is a reminder that the struggle for freedom and equality is not just a matter of politics or economics, but a spiritual and moral one as well. 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 call to action, reminding us that the struggle for freedom and equality is not just about laws and policies but about the values and beliefs that underpin our society.
The final stanza of the poem is a declaration of hope and resilience. Hughes writes, "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." This is a powerful image, suggesting that even in the face of corruption and decay, we can still work to create a better world. The poem ends with the line, "Time for me to go now, I won't say goodbye; / Look for me in the whirlwind," suggesting that the struggle for freedom and equality is ongoing and that we must continue to work towards a better future.
In conclusion, "Freedom's Plow" is a powerful and inspiring poem that speaks to the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality in America. Through its use of metaphor, imagery, and language, the poem reminds us of the hard work and sacrifices of those who have come before us and urges us to continue their work. It is a call to action, a declaration of hope, and a reminder that the struggle for freedom and equality is ongoing and requires constant effort and sacrifice. As we continue to face the challenges of our time, we can look to "Freedom's Plow" as a source of inspiration and guidance, reminding us of the power of resilience, hope, and perseverance.
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