Part I: Hughes, Langston “50-50”

This poem has two characters, a male and a female. The female is complaining that she is lonely and not feeling the presence of the male. The male retaliates by telling the female that it is her actions that have made her not have company. He encourages her to change so that she is no longer lonely. The male persona says that the female complains too much, which makes her unappealing to him. If she changes how she acts, it would make him want to spend more time with her. Through this poem, the poet’s point of view on how he views relationships is brought out. He feels that a successful relationship is whereby both the man and woman are equal, hence the title “50-50”.

The poem addresses a number of issues that affect society in terms of relationships. It tries to explain the reason why there are many single people. The problem of being lonely yet there are many eligible bachelors. The woman laments that she is lonely and that she needs a man’s companionship. The other problem it touches on is why men prefer to be single rather than in a relationship. The man’s reason is that the woman talks too much, and he feels that she is not intelligent enough to have a meaningful conversation. He tells her “you aint got no head” (Hughes, Langston “50-50”). In short, the poet wants the audience to know the importance of intelligent dialog in every relationship. Through the male persona, he tells the audience that when both parties in a relationship can talk amicably, their relationship flourishes.

Part II: Minnie Bruce Pratt, “Temporary Job”

In this poem, the persona is talking about how hard it is to say goodbye. Once again, they have to leave where he or she had been staying. They have to leave all that they knew behind, go, and start a new life elsewhere. Though they had lived there for there for a short time, –eleven days – they had grown attached to the place. The persona liked how the sunlight shone in the room, and how the rays hit their skin and in the poem it is referenced that.

“How I learned the way the sun laid its palm over the side window in the morning, heavy light, how I’ll never be held in that hand again”( Minnie Bruce Pratt, “Temporary Job”)

From this poem, we learn the importance of saying goodbye to something one held dear. It shows how closure can help one to move on with their life. This poem appeals to me as it shows that, for a human being, life keeps on changing, and it is only natural for people to embrace the changes that come with it. The poet, through the persona, encourages the audience to accept change. Change is inevitable, and it signifies growth. The poet also tells us that it is healthy to feel sad when certain things in life change. The persona says:

“Leaving again. If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t be grieving” (Minnie Bruce Pratt, “Temporary Job”)

The poem shows that one grows through the changes that they go through in life. Embracing the change makes a person stronger and ready for the next stage in life. It shows the audience that there is no weakness in grieving over the life that one leaves behind as it prepares them for a better future. The life that they have left behind is merely a steppingstone. For a person to advance to the next stage, he or she has to leave a part of their life behind.

Works Cited:

Hughes, Langston “50-50”. N.d. Web. August 9, 2012.

Minnie Bruce Pratt, “Temporary Job”. N.d. Web. August 9, 2012.