The poetry - Essay Example

Poetry: Dream Variations Poetry is an important form of art that is essential in expressing diverse forms of feelings and experiences.The fact that poetry can be used to convey such emotions while delivering entertainment makes it a special form of art. Other than entertainment and communication, poetry can be used as tool of enhancing creativity, language awareness, enthusiasm and critical analysis. The feud between the critics of the different forms of poetry has created a strong divisive line between contemporary and traditional poetry.

Traditionally, poetry was grounded on the resolute use of rhyme, aesthetic embellishment and metrical structures. However, contemporary forms have poetry have managed to win over more enthusiasts due to its flexibility. Unlike traditional poetry, contemporary poetry allows the use of free verse and do not emphasize the use of rhymes. Contemporary forms of poetry have also prevailed outside the academic realms due to their provocative nature and their use of more grounded imagery. The fact that these poems are mostly brief, accessible, suggestive, and strongly depict imagery explains their preference.

The poem Dream Variations has a nostalgic feel. The singer yearns for a life where color discrimination does not exist. Hughes expresses his desire for a playful and carefree life by talking about his desire “to whirl and to dance” (Hughes et. al. 3). The end of racial discrimination is symbolized by the end of the white day. However, the poem ends in a pessimistic mood as he talks of “Rest at pale evening/ a tall, slim tree/ Night coming tenderly” (Hughes et. al. 14-16).The poetry heavily uses symbolism to explain the racial discrimination and freedom without emphasizing rhyme and aesthetics.

Works CitedHughes, Langston, Arnold Rampersad, David E. Roessel, and Benny Andrews.Langston Hughes. New York: Sterling Pub., 2006. Print.