Hampton Roads Writers

WORD PAINTING



Freewrite a scene, story, or poem inspired by this image. Use strong sensory details to evoke the imagery necessary to push this creation forward to completion.

AS A CHALLENGE:

Read Langston Hughes’s poem, Po’ Boy Blues

Po' Boy Blues
by Langston Hughes

When I was home de
Sunshine seemed like gold.
When I was home de
Sunshine seemed like gold.
Since I come up North de
Whole damn world's turned cold.

I was a good boy,
Never done no wrong.
Yes, I was a good boy,
Never done no wrong,
But this world is weary
An' de road is hard an' long.

I fell in love with
A gal I thought was kind.
Fell in love with
A gal I thought was kind.
She made me lose ma money
An' almost lose ma mind.

Weary, weary,
Weary early in de morn.
Weary, weary,
Early, early in de morn.
I's so weary
I wish I'd never been born.

Now brainstorm for five minutes about things you associate with the blues. Freewrite for 15 minutes about one of them. Choose one strand of your freewrite to start a story or cull phrases from it to write a poem.

While reading the poem, pay attention to how Hughes uses rhythm and rhyme. Did reading poetry first change the nature of your freewrite? HAVE FUN!