Jazzonia

  The novel, Invisible Man, is based during a time period that was full of life, jazz, and culture in one of the most widely recognized cities during that time period, Harlem. It seems as if I personally enjoy things that have come out of the "Harlem" area of New York (jazz music, the rap group A Tribe Called Quest, etc.) and the novel goes on to highlight some of its most prominent stars in all sorts of allusions and references throughout the novel. One person who seems to constantly be relevant, whether it be in the novel or simply the mentioning of the city of Harlem in everyday conversation, is the beloved Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes may as well be known as Harlem's shining star; his way with words and heartfelt sounds seem to repeatedly speak to people in the modern world, and will more than likely leave some sort of influence on future generations as well. I know, I know......most of my poem selections for these blogs come from Langston Hughes. But who can blame me? His words can almost be sung as if to a tune, plus, the majority of his poems actual have some sort of relevance to the situations going on in the novel Invisible Man; for instance, the poem "Jazzonia" relates to the novel in various ways, and it goes a little something like this"

Oh, silver tree!

Oh, shining rivers of the soul!

In a Harlem cabaret

Six long headed jazzers play.

A dancing girl whos eyes are bold

Lifts high a dress of silken gold.

Oh, singing tree!

Oh, shining rivers of the soul!

Were Eve's eyes

In the first garden

Just a bit too bold?

Was Cleopatra gorgeous

In a gown of gold?

Oh, shining tree!

Oh silver rivers of the soul!

In a whirling cabaret

Six long headed jazzers play.

In my opinion, this poem is describing the innocence of a person who is finally seeing the wonders that Harlem has to offer for the first time, similar to that of the invisible man. The first thing that the speaker of this poem talks about is a "silver tree" that's shining constantly throughout each stanza. For the tree he first sees to be silver indicates that he feels the actions around him as being pure and rare, seeing how silver is a form of pure metal. However, the next line referencing the jazz players "as six headed" makes it seem as if the speaker is completely unaware of the dangerous temptations that are around him. The jazz players being six headed makes me think of something serpent like such as Medusa's hair or the ancient three headed dog, as if the situation around the speaker is actually no good. The speaker even mentions a woman who lifts up her silk dress which is similar to the temptation the invisible man feels when he sees the naked woman during the battle royal. Though everything that’s being mentioned in this poem seems as if it’s filled with happiness and clarity, like the man who sells yams in Invisible Man said, “….everything that looks good aint necessarily good” (264). Ya feel me?