Something Epic in Something called Poetry

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in 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, am America.

Anyone who read these lines can think that are just that, a couple of lines, however, they are more than words scattered randomly, they are actually the words of a hero, words which can be seen as the beginning of a new era, the era when Negros are the protagonists. These lines are poetry.

“Look how well a white man does things.” (Foundation, 2009)This phrase is simple and short, but it has a lot of meaning for a boy, and more for a black boy. The father of Hughes used to tell him this phrase, providing a lot of importance to the fact of being white, and putting this aspect in a higher position. Although any child could think of this as an example, or as a role model only for being better (understanding that for many people at those times, being white was correct or appropriated), Langton used this phrase to be a better man, a better black man.

At this point we can already talk about a hero, a man who suffers from discrimination, from violence and so on and so forth. But we can also talk about something epic. The epic is a vital contemporary art form, both in writing and in performance. (Margaret H. Beissinger, 1999) As it is established here, the epic has relation not only with performance, as Hughes demonstrated not only by thinking different from others, but also from his own father. Epic also has relation with writing, and he does not write about himself, he writes about crucial issues that are relevant in his life as a Negro, issues that are irrelevant for white people and society, but are important for an entire culture. The epic also has a peculiar and complex connection to national and local cultures. (Margaret H. Beissinger, 1999)

Moreover, when we talk about something epic, we immediately think of amazing events of history, like Troy war, World wars, and so on. However, is it epic something that it really was important and crucial, but it involved heroes who killed others to achieve victory?  Or can be epic something that through narrative and ideas changed others mind and help a culture to obtain the position that it deserves? Something that did not change the hero´s ideas and thoughts to accomplish the goal? From my perspective, that is something epic. Something that made changes by writing the true, by saying what people expected to hear, by giving voice to a movement. 

The narrative of Hughes has a voice, has true, and that is epic for me, an act of heroism when people tended to be afraid of saying what they thought, of dealing with what they believed as unfair. Epic poetry is defined as; “Poetic narrative of length and complexity that centers around deeds of significance to the community. These deeds are usually presented as deeds of grandeur or heroism, often narrated from within a verisimilitudinous frame or reference.” (Margaret H. Beissinger, 1999) So that, can the poetry of Hughes be considered epic poetry? Or can be his actions considered epic ones? 

Refferences

Foundation, P. (13 de october de 2009). Poetryfoundation.org. Recuperado el 29 de may de 2015, de Poetryfoundation.org: https://blogs.stockton.edu/hist2163/files/2014/09/The-Negro-Artist-and-the-Racial-Mountain-by-Langston-Hughes.pdf

Margaret H. Beissinger, J. T. (1999). Epic Traditions in the Contemporary World: The Poetics of Community. En J. T. Margaret H. Beissinger, Epic Traditions in the Contemporary World: The Poetics of Community (pág. 2). California: The regents of the University of California.