Although good poetry is "universal," your images do a disservice to one of the greatest African American poets of his generation. This poem by Robert Hayden is set in an urban environment, Detroit specifically, and in a working class community. Your images should reflect that for aesthetic accuracy.
to try to degrade my piece for departing from an "aesthetic accuracy" only seems to suggest your own disservice to the literature at hand. this man did not write solely for the benefit of his people. he was able to transcend the label of an "african american poet" which you have so naively placed upon him. "there is no such thing as black literature. theres good literature and bad. and thats all."-robert hayden
so please do not bother me with your facile inculpations until dimness has left you
Having read Hayden's poetry, I would say he would be happy with this interpretation. What shows Hayden's greatness is that folks from all walks of life can feel what he is saying. I am ecuadorian and I never lived in Detroit. Still, his poems seem to me as pristine and clear as any poem from an ecuadorian author.
Blech, poetry. However, this was helpful for my memorization, and out loud recitation that I need to do.
peter1234930 2 years ago
Although good poetry is "universal," your images do a disservice to one of the greatest African American poets of his generation. This poem by Robert Hayden is set in an urban environment, Detroit specifically, and in a working class community. Your images should reflect that for aesthetic accuracy.
michelelisasimms 3 years ago
to try to degrade my piece for departing from an "aesthetic accuracy" only seems to suggest your own disservice to the literature at hand. this man did not write solely for the benefit of his people. he was able to transcend the label of an "african american poet" which you have so naively placed upon him. "there is no such thing as black literature. theres good literature and bad. and thats all."-robert hayden
so please do not bother me with your facile inculpations until dimness has left you
haydnww 3 years ago
Hi,
Having read Hayden's poetry, I would say he would be happy with this interpretation. What shows Hayden's greatness is that folks from all walks of life can feel what he is saying. I am ecuadorian and I never lived in Detroit. Still, his poems seem to me as pristine and clear as any poem from an ecuadorian author.
raulsoleimanio 2 years ago
@michelelisasimms Where is the evidence in the poem that it is set in Detroit, or even a urban environment?
jamfab1 1 year ago
Good; where'd you get this? And what is that song in the background?
TomWaitsLivesWithout 3 years ago
I put this together in about an hour...
The music is "Song to the Moon" from Rusalka played by Joshua Bell
haydnww 3 years ago