December 21, 2023: Fall Semester Finds: A New Take on Hughes in Am Lit II

[For myannual Fall semester reflections series, I wanted to share some of the newtexts and ideas I encountered this semester. I’d love to hear things youdiscovered or rediscovered this Fall in comments!]

Unlike withTuesday’s subject Martín Espada, I unfortunately don’t think I’m likely todiscover poems by Langston Hughes that I’ve never read—I teach Hughes’ mammothand magisterial CollectedPoems in my Major American Authors of the 20th Centurycourse, and so have read every published poem of his at least once. But thatdoesn’t mean that I can’t rediscover even his most familiar works in compellingnew ways, and as I’ve been saying throughout the week’s series a main way thatI can and will do so with any texts is through student perspectives and classdiscussions. I had a wonderful example of that possibility this semester in myonline section of American Literature II, where students read and responded to threeHughes poems including “The WearyBlues.” I’ve taught “Weary” literally dozens of distinct times, but in oneof those responses this semester a student who is himself a Blues musiciananalyzed the poem through that perspective, really getting inside layers ofBlues composition and songwriting to consider how the poem both parallels andcomments on the genre. (As a relevant aside, I also loved the chance to share aGuestPost on the Blues from another student this semester!) As long as I canhave such moments every semester, teaching will never get the slightest bitstale for me!

Last Fallfind tomorrow,

Ben

PS. Whatdo you think? Other Fall finds you’d share?