As I read this poem I could not help but hear the voice of my own “Aunt Sue” telling me stories as I was a child. To me the beauty in this poem came from the universality of the character of “Aunt Sue.” While she is presented as an individual with distinct characteristics, the vagueness of such descriptions allow the reader to transpose her existence and presence into their own lives.
While, at a first glance it may appear to be a simple poem, when I looked deeper I found simple language expressing some of the most profound and integral human emotions—affection, admiration and love. But aside from the love the narrator shows for his Aunt, Hughes also presents storytelling itself as an expression of love. I was surprised to find such love and beauty in this poem that speaks about slavery. There is beauty in these stories of "black slaves/Singing sorrow songs on the banks of a mighty river" and of "black slaves/ working in the hot sun," thus stories of pain and suffering, because these stories are shared through Aunt Sue's love for the "dark-faced child" she "cuddles." There is a beauty in the simplicity of this poem, that despite its minimalism this poem is able to capture the transcending art that story telling is and the pure emotions that play a part in the act of sharing stories.
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