Blues Poetry and the African-American Vernacular Tradition

The African-American vernacular tradition — the system of oral and literary expression developed by Black people in the United States and exemplified by their folk tales, religion, music (blues, jazz, spirituals) and unique dialect of English — is at the core of much of the literature we have read so far in this class. These elements of the vernacular tradition are frequently used both directly in our texts and alluded to, contributing to an interesting, authentic, and uniquely Black style of literature. In an era where slavery was still within living memory for many of its most prolific writers, this field gave Black people a kind of voice they never had before and allowed them to share and relate to each other's experiences and further their culture. But before the literacy rate of African-Americans skyrocketed following the Civil War, their vernacular tradition was mostly driven by oral expression, like folk tales, sermons, and especially music.

Multiple influences combined to form what is now known as African-American music, including instruments and structures from western Africa as well as the need of slaves for something to help cope with slavery and offer some semblance of joy. The blues genre is a natural evolution of this style of music, and poems like "Blues Fantasy" and "The Weary Blues" (both by Langston Hughes) examine the history and impact of the blues and its use as a vehicle for both grieving and celebration in a world that was still experiencing the effects of slavery. In the process, they also incorporate elements of the vernacular tradition in the way the characters speak as well as their very structure.

"The Weary Blues" follows a Black pianist playing on Lenox Avenue in Harlem, often considered the center of Black culture during the Harlem Renaissance. There, he sings a deep, melancholy song about the sadness ("I ain't happy no mo' / And I wish that I had died") and loneliness ("Ain't got nobody in all this world") that he feels. Yet this process does not seem to make him feel worse in the moment, and fact he seems to greatly enjoy it, as evidenced by his foot beginning to spontaneously tap on the floor and his repeated cries of "O Blues!" He may feel sad, likely beaten down by racism and discrimination in American society, but as he plays as much for the crowd as for himself, he seems to experience some relief from his "weary blues". His experiences show how the blues genre can serve simultaneously as an outlet for sadness, a source of joy, and a facilitator of social connection, which, as discussed during class, are all also common goals of the vernacular tradition as a whole.

"Blues Fantasy" takes a similar approach to its exploration of the blues when considering its general themes. Like in "The Weary Blues", the speaker experiences the same feeling of overwhelming sadness mixed with optimism for the future:

Weary,
Weary,
Trouble, pain.
Sun's gonna shine
Somewhere
Again. 

However, unlike that poem, this one seems to be composed entirely of lyrics that could easily be a real blues song. Many parts of it follow the A-A-B repetition structure common in blues music, and there are repeated interjections throughout, presumably from other people, like "Hey! . . . Hey!" and "Sing 'em, sister!" The story of the poem is also typical of a blues song, with the husband of the "singer" having left her, leading her to pack her things and board a train to somewhere else. Considering these details and the seemingly generic lyrics, "Blues Fantasy" may initially appear to be a collection of blues tropes haphazardly lumped together. However, this interpretation would ignore an essential detail: the singer here is a woman, yet she chooses to set off on her own into the world and start a new life without any apparent concern for finding a new husband in a time where such a thing was still often expected. This detail offers an entirely new perspective on "Blues Fantasy": one not only of Black empowerment but also of female empowerment. The singer's sudden optimism and motivation takes on a new meaning, one significantly ahead of its time, when considering the doubly difficult nature of her decision since she is both Black and a woman. Here, common blues tropes and other elements of the African-American vernacular tradition are used to great effect to celebrate the inclusive nature of this genre of music.