Suicide's Note
The calm,
Cool face of the river
Asked me for a kiss.
Cool face of the river
Asked me for a kiss.
Suicide’s Note by Langston Hughes is extremely beautiful. It is simple, being comprised of only 3 lines, 1 stanza; and it is expressive.
Hughes provides imagery in lines one and two, “The calm,/Cool face of the river”. This shows us how it isn’t ugly. Suicide is something that is considered ugly by society. And the speaker in Hughes poem instead sees suicide as something liberating. The speaker sees it as something to jump into. I enjoy how the speaker in the poem implies that what we see as voluntary is irresistible and inevitable.
No matter a person's personal feelings about suicide, it can’t be denied that this is a wonderful poem. On a multitude of levels. One being Hughes play on water. A river contains water. And water is usually associated with rebirth. An example being a christening. Which is why it is ironic that someone would choose to kill themselves in a river.
If you removed the title of this poem, it would seem like a basic and happy poem. Someone at peace with themselves and at peace with nature. But add the title and a sharp contrast is drawn. However, we must ask ourselves, should it be?
Hughes poem forces you to rethink suicide. Since suicide can be brought on because of a depressive state, many see suicide as a last resort, a sad thing. Something to be mourned. Suicide being the final option, a final destination. But the speaker suggests, that it doesn't end in death
… it instead ends in liberation.
Leaving you wondering, if it’s the living we should grieve.
-Sonya Williams
While I don't like the idea of thinking of suicide as liberation, I completely see your point about Hughes' poem. Thanks for sharing this view.
ReplyDelete