Island
Langston Hughes


Wave of sorrow,
Do not drown me now:

I see the island
Still ahead somehow.

I see the island
And its sands are fair:

Wave of sorrow,
Take me there.



This poem feels as if it is a metaphor for not giving up hope. Langston Hughes most likely faced racism and had to deal with it throughout his life, and his poetry may have helped him get through it. In this poem he is saying there is always that place that is good, and you should not give up till you get there. However, the means of getting there may be rough, such as "waves of sorrow". It may take pain to get there, but what he is saying is that you must ride that sorrow and stick it out to get to that "fair" place.


Using metaphors how Hughes uses them in the poem "Island" can be a useful tool. Metaphors can make overused topics seem new because it is a unique approach. In this case he uses and island symbolize hope and waves to symbolize a journey. In the end you can see how it is all a metaphor for racism. Using metaphor can also let you write about topics that may not be acceptable but if you "screen" it using metaphor you can acomplish what you want. Using metaphors can help enhance the meaning behind a story or poem when used properly.