I, Too by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America

I am the darker brother
They send me to the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, sing America

     This poem talks about how Hughes was a black man who worked for a family, and whenever company stopped by, the family sent him to the kitchen so they would not offend their other white friends.  This makes me angry because I can't imagine sending someone away, just because of their skin color.  Their behavior, maybe, but definitely not the color of their skin.  I like how in the poem, it shows how Hughes feels that he is an American to, and has the right to sit at the table and eat unashamed, which I totally and completely agree with.

     I believe this poem means that when African Americans were segregated and pushed away from wites.  While they were all together, they were growing stronger and coming up with a way to break free and become just like whites.  Hughes talks about how African-Americans were Americans just as much as white people So, finally they did and white people started to realize that they were mistaken in enslaving them, because Afican-Americans are poeple just like us.  So, in all, I think this poem summarizes the strugles and overcoming's of the African-American people during a time of segregation.

     Some writing ideas I had from this poem were:

1.  Write a fictional story about a group of people who get together to overcome a struggle and are brave.
2. Write a fictional story about someone who is brave enough to stand up (respectfully) to authority to win something they want.  For example, someone fighting to make Animal Control stop killing innocent animals.