Langston Hughes, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” Blog #12

I’ve known rivers:
I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
     flow of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln 
     went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy 
     bosom turn all golden in the sunset.
I’ve known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

     Throughout this poem the speaker is comparing rivers to himself and the world around him. They are all ancient and have lived throughout important history. All of these rivers I have heard about in my history classes which were important and since he's comparing it to himself I assume his culture is important to him. From the title I can tell there is African American culture and that the speaker wants to preserve this culture. It's been around for many years and will continue to, just like the rivers. He must really have a connection to rivers because of how natural and old they are. He imagines such great images of these rivers like the Mississippi river singing and turning into a golden color. 

     The last line he compares his soul to the rivers, the African American culture is very deep and he wants to keep those traditions. I believe it may also have something to do with slavery taking away from the African American culture. He wants to make sure it stays for years and years, he's keeping it together by making this connection between his soul and the rivers. As long as the rivers are alive so will the African American culture.