tive “Blues aesthetic.” In one of his most famous poems, “The Weary Blues,” Hughes relates a poignant experience of witnessing an African-American man play the Blues. As Hughes describes the man “droning a drowsy syncopated tune, rocking back and forth to a mellow croon” (1 - 2), he brings a heartfelt motion to the poem, generating a strong feeling of realism for the reader. He continues this motion and realism when the man makes “that poor piano moan with melody” (10); the man, the music, and the piano all become fully engaged in the poem as active elements. When he mentions the “ebony hands on each ivory key” (9), Hughes creates a simple, subtle, intelligent reference to the many issues of a polarized black and white society. While he does not elaborate on the complexities of these issues, much of the beauty of the poem lies in the fact that he does not need to: the Blues stand on their own, largely because they have an unquestionably solid background of complex racial and societal issues. Finally, Hughes paints an audio-picture of the oh-so-common Harlem reality of a man lamenting his life:“I got the Weary BluesAnd I can’t be satisfied.Got the Weary BluesAnd can’t be satisfied --I ain’t happy no mo’And I wish that I had died.” (25 - 30)This elucidation gives rise to a fascinating notion: although the man has wished for death, the music itself remains very much alive, both within himself and within the poem. The very act of “The Blues” has become a healing process in and of itself. As the man laments “in a deep song voice with a melancholy tone” (17), he purges a deep pain. Through the experience of this purging, the poem itself becomes an act of survival -- and thus, a dignified appreciation of the folk, and a distinct form of “High” art. Hughes does not limit his Blues aesthetic to a male perspective,...
