In the poem Harlem, Langston Hughes utilizes free verse with an irregular meter. This means that he stresses different syllables in each line and the length of the lines vary considerably. The use of six questions is done with the intention of providing uncertainty. All of these things, when taken together, make the reader feel uneasy, uncomfortable and nervous. The feelings that are elicited reinforce the poem's theme which is the frustration felt by African-Americans....
In the poem Harlem, Langston Hughes utilizes free verse with an irregular meter. This means that he stresses different syllables in each line and the length of the lines vary considerably. The use of six questions is done with the intention of providing uncertainty. All of these things, when taken together, make the reader feel uneasy, uncomfortable and nervous. The feelings that are elicited reinforce the poem's theme which is the frustration felt by African-Americans. Langston Hughes poems are, by his own admission, written like the musical styles of jazz, ragtime, and the blues. These types of music are marked by sudden changes and sharp interjections. The style of free verse with irregular meter lends itself to connections with these music styles.
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