Michael Thomas Harbuck						English 1201-SCC
08-04-2008								Poetry Question
Ambrose								Sanford, Florida

1. Pg 849 

Pair up with a friend or with a classmate and take turns reading Langston Hughes’ “Dream 

Boogie” out loud to each other.  Now write briefly on what you learned about this poem’s 

rhythm by speaking an hearing it.  

Answer:

There is no set meter, only the rhyme, which is present.  It sounds like a song being sung, and 

is rhythmical, but in a drum beat  type of rhythm, which is continuous.  Like African or Arabian 

drumming, if you will.  I was unable to have the poem read TO me, but was able to vocalize 

the work.   The first strophe is an 5-3-7-5, 0r 8-12 in meter, the second is 8-8 – with the 

addition of audience participation if you will, which with both of the middle strophes is different, 

as if the reader is allowed to participate freely.    The last three lines are 8 syllables and then 

there is the fifties style nonsense.  I would say that the author has embodied the songs of their 

era.