Poetry comparison

I think that Langston Hughes’s “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” was better at reaching a wider audience than Countee Cullen’s “Yet do I Marvel” because of the language, structure, and tone of the poem.  Also people know more about the events that Hughes was alluding to in his poem which leads to an easier understanding of the theme of the poem.  Hughes was able to fit in a lot of figurative language while at the same time letting the audience really feel the way he is feeling towards the theme.  The fact that the poem was free verse lets a wider audience appreciate what he was trying to say between all the allusions and metaphors.

In times of darkness, what gives us the courage to persevere?

This is a photo of Terry Fox.  At just 19 years old, Terry Fox was diagnosed with a cancer called osteosarcoma and had his right leg amputated.  Terry was a great athlete who was a long distance runner and a basketball player and when he was faced with this challenge, he decided to do something about it.  He had the idea to run across Canada, from coast to coast, in hopes of raising money towards the disease that ended up taking his, and so many other peoples lives.  Terry’s run went main stream and has, to date, raised over 650 million dollars.  He unfortunately passed away midway through his marathon of hope at just 22.  Terry’s legacy shows that no matter how difficult things get, one can always find the courage to accomplish inspiring brave acts.