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Theme
for English B
Beryl
Clarke, Contributor
Poems
are such effective literary tools.
Look at what happens in the one we
are about to enjoy together! The speaker
shares a story in which he is expected
to write an essay. This leads to brief
explorations of history and philosophy
as he thinks about the task of writing
about himself. I wonder what I would
include if I had to write a one-page
essay about myself? Certainly, there
would have to be something or some
things that I find important to me;
bits of my past, present and even
of my future; my likes and dislikes
and those things that I find interesting.
How about you?
As
you can see below, the poem for our
discussion is Theme for English
B. Several years ago, the title
of this subject was English B and
not literatures in English. This makes
me wonder at the reason for the poet's
choice of title. Now, begin your reading.
Theme
for English B
The instructor said,
Go
home and write
a
page tonight.
And
let that page come out of you—-
Then,
it will be true.
I
wonder if it's that simple?
I
am twenty-two, coloured, born in Winston-Salem.
I
went to school there, then Durham,
then here
to
this college on the hill above Harlem.
I
am the only coloured student in my
class.
The
steps from the hill lead down into
Harlem
through
a park, then I cross St Nicholas,
Eighth
Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the
Y,
the
Harlem Branch Y, where I take the
elevator
up
to my room, sit down and write this
page:
It's
not easy to know what is true for
you or me
at
twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm
what
I
feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear
you:
hear
you, hear me—-we two—you,
me, talk on this
page.
(I
hear New York too.) Me—-who?
Well,
I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be
in love.
I
like to work, read, learn, and understand
life.
I
like a pipe for a Christmas present,
or
records—-Bessie, bop, or Bach.
I
guess being coloured doesn't make
me NOT like
the
same things other folks like who are
other races.
So
will my page be coloured that I write?
Being
me, it will not be white.
But
it will be a part of you, instructor.
You
are white—-
yet
a part of me, as I am a part of you.
That's
American.
Sometimes
perhaps you don't want to be a part
of me.
Nor
do I often want to be a part of you.
But
we are, that's true!
As
I learn from you,
I
guess you learn from me—-
although
you're older—-and white—-
and
somewhat more free.
This
is my page for English B.
Langston
Hughes
Please
read again and again if necessary.
There is nothing wrong in reading
it as many times as it takes for you
to get an understanding of the information.
Remember that you can use your dictionary,
do some research and even talk it
over with the members of your study
group or anyone you wish.
Now
I have a few questions for you.
1.
Who is the poet? (I don't mean his
name)
2.
Where is the poem set? How do you
know this?
3.
What do you think the instructor means
when he tells his students to 'let
the page come out of you'?
4.
You have studied another poem on the
syllabus that deals with a black boy
who finds himself in a class where
all the other students are white.
Do you think that the student in this
class would face similar experiences?
Explain your answer.
5.
What reason does the speaker have
for making a reference to and then
repeating his age?
Explain
the following:
'Harlem,
I hear you:
Hear
you, hear me - we too - you, me, talk
on this
page.
I guess being coloured doesn't make
me not like
The
same things other folks like me who
are other
races.'
So will my page be coloured that I
write ... American
...
and somewhat more free.'
I
want you to take the time to familiarise
yourself thoroughly with Theme for
English B. You will be glad. Have
a great week and continue to have
a great 2012. God bless!
Beryl
Clarke is an independent contributor.
Send questions and comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
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