Children’s Rhymes

An analysis of Langston Hughes’ poem starts with the title "Children's Rhymes." The title both prepares and misleads the reader about the poem’s subject matter. Typically, the rhymes of children are playful. In an earlier version of “Children’s Rhymes,” Hughes juxtaposes the rhymes about race with lighthearted children’s rhymes. In the version referenced here—the more common version—the rhymes are only about race. Thus, the title is ironic and somewhat unexpected. The rhymes of the child involve a serious subject. Using the playful form of children’s rhymes, the speaker confronts a complex and horrifying reality. Approaching this poem without knowledge of Langston Hughes or his work, the reader might expect a fun or flippant poem. The extreme seriousness of the children’s rhymes produces irony and deliberate deception.

At the same time, the title accurately reflects the poem in that the poem rhymes and maintains a jumpy rhythm. The poem relies on repetition and rhyme to keep its bouncy flow. Even when some of the words don’t rhyme exactly, they sound similar, like “kids” (Line 2) and “President” (Line 5). More so, the recurring appearance of certain words—sends/sent in Stanza 1, bug/bugs in Stanza 2, and ain’t in all three stanzas—reinforces the poem’s propulsive beat.

The poem’s energy manifests in the first word, “By” (Line 1). The preposition sets the quick pace of the poem. It’s as if the poem is already in motion before it starts. The monosyllabic diction in Stanza 1 bolsters the snappy tempo. In Stanza 1, there’s only one word with multiple syllables, “President” (Line 5). The rest of the words in Stanza 1 are one syllable long.

Stanza 1 layouts the central theme of the poem: race. Something “sends / the white kids” (Lines 1-2) that isn’t “sent” (Line 3) to the speaker. Based on the poem's author and context, it becomes clear that the speaker is Black. Thus, the speaker creates a juxtaposition. The speaker compares their lot in life to that of white kids. The white kids get something that the speaker can't get. The verb “sent” makes it seem like this something is a gift since a person can "send" someone a present. As most children like receiving gifts, it makes sense for the speaker to use the word "sent."

Yet the speaker can’t receive this gift. The speaker can never “be President” (Line 5). Due to racism, they can’t see themselves one day becoming President. For a long time, a person with Black skin couldn’t realistically hope to occupy the most powerful position in the United States. Thus, “President” becomes a symbol that represents power and the racist politics and history of the United States. The President embodies and alludes to the hypocritical values of the United States, which the speaker then touches in Stanza 2 and 3.

As with Stanza 1, Stanza 2 features only one word longer than a syllable, “everybody” (Line 9). Likewise, Stanza 2 repeats a verb with “bug” (Line 6) and “bugs” (Line 8). Yet in Stanza 1, the speaker experiences a lack. They're not "sent" something since they can’t ever be President. In Stanza 2, the speaker deals with a presence. They are "sent" something, but this something isn’t good—it’s an annoyance. The speaker is irritated because they “know everybody / ain’t free” (Lines 9-10). Of course, it’s not just the speaker who knows that Black people don’t have the liberty of white people but Black people in general. The speaker doesn’t say “I know” but “We know.” The speaker makes the case that all Black people know this—or, considering the title, that all Black children, even though they are just kids, are already aware of the racism and inequality in America.

The emphasis on freedom relates to the President and the politics of the United States. Supposedly, freedom provided the foundational ideal for the United States. America fought a war with England to transform into an independent nation of free people and be governed by a person — the President — that they freely and fairly elected. In the “Declaration of Independence” (1776), America’s founders touch on freedom frequently. They famously announce that “all men are created equal” and have the right to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In "Children's Rhymes," the speaker’s experience makes it clear that not “everybody” (Line 9) is equal, free, or able to pursue the life they want.

In Stanza 3, the speaker uses blunt diction and calls the imputed values “Lies” (Line 11). Once again, the speaker utilizes juxtaposition. What’s for “white folks” (Line 12) isn’t for Black people, since “Liberty And Justice” (Line 14) is for white people and not them. The inclusion of “Liberty And Justice” alludes to the Pledge of Allegiance, which children are often impelled to recite at school. Thus, the poem ends with an allusion to a child reciting lines that they know are untrue. The history of America—its past and present politics and policies—provide evidence that freedom, liberty, and justice are not distributed to every American equally.