Langston+Hughes

 **Life Is Fine by Langston Hughes **  I went down to the river, I set down on the bank. I tried to think but couldn't, So I jumped in and sank.

I came up once and hollered! I came up twice and cried! If that water hadn't a-been so cold I might've sunk and died.

But it was Cold in that water! It was cold!

I took the elevator Sixteen floors above the ground. I thought about my baby And thought I would jump down.

I stood there and I hollered! I stood there and I cried! If it hadn't a-been so high I might've jumped and died.

But it was High up there! It was high!

So since I'm still here livin', I guess I will live on. I could've died for love-- But for livin' I was born

Though you may hear me holler, And you may see me cry-- I'll be dogged, sweet baby, If you gonna see me die.

Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine!

Summary: Life is Fine, by Langston Hughes, is an epic poem written about the poem's voice having a controversy in her life. So to ease her pain she decided to commit suicide by trying to drown herself and jump off a sixteen floor building. But she soon realized she didn't have the fortitude to follow through with this horrific act. Upset with herself, she didn't want her newly born child left without a mother. The baby was the reason she lived, "I could've died for love-- But for livin' I was born." Upon that she decided, if she's living, she might as well make the very best of it.

Correlation: "I tried to think but couldn't, So I jumped in and sank." line 3-4 "I'll be dogged, sweet baby, If you gonna see me die." line 25-26 People who attempt or do commit suicide usually try to think or talk to someone about their problems. But once nothing seems to help, they try taking matters into their own hands. Unfortunatly when this happens the person is usually being selfish. They may be ending their misery but their creating more for the ones they're leave behind. The voice of the poem, after trying to attempt suicide twice, realized what she was leaving behind, noticed her selfishness and was able to change her mind.

"So I jumped in and sank. I came up once and hollered! I came up twice and cried!" line 4-6 The voice of the poem tried to drown herself to get out of misery, but was unsuccessful. Drowing is actually one of the hardest ways to commit suicide. The body's natural instinct is to come for air, so she was actually creating more pain for herself because she was fighting nature.

"So since I'm still here livin', I guess I will live on." line 19-20 This statement is very true and should be reminded to many. Of course eveybody has heard the old saying, "is your glass is half full or half empty?" This old saying can be applied to various activities and thoughts, including everyday life. There's no reason to sit around and mope, because after time one may look back and recognize the time they wasted. Instead, look at the glass half full and ador the memories ones creating.

Reflexion: Life is Fine is a well written and structured epic poem. The end-stopped lines helped the poem feel more narrative. And the use of anaphora expressed and emphasized words such as the major one, I. These techniques helped the writter and the voice of the poem get the main point across substantially and the poem more enjoyable to read.