Compare the themes of James Weldon Johnson's "Sence You Went Away" and Langston Hughes' "Little Old Letter."

The theme of "Little Old Letter" by Langston Hughes is
very similar to that in James Weldon Johnson's "Sence You Went
Away."

It might be important to note that both authors were
black; Johnson was born in 1871 and Langston Hughes was born in 1902. Both men were
considered Harlem Renaissance poets, though Johnson was considered the "elder statesman"
of the poetic movement. Johnson was educated at Atlanta University, and while he majored
in literature and "European music tradition," upon graduating he first became a school
principal, and later U.S. Consul first in Venezuela and later in Nicaragua. Before 1912,
he was already a published poet in the U.S. Prior to his death, Johnson was also a
professor at Fisk University.

This information is important
to the context of the poem. After reading the poem, it makes perfect sense that Johnson
had a deep and abiding interest in "African American folk
tradition."

readability="8">

While a freshman in college, Johnson took a trip
throughout the rural South, igniting his interest in the African American folk
tradition.

One of the
noteworthy aspects of Johnson's poem, "Sence You Went Away," is the author's uncanny
ability to capture the dialect of a poor southern man while making his sorrow over the
departure of his sweetheart a theme that anyone can relate
to.

Langston Hughes started writing poetry in eighth grade.
He received his Bachelor's degree from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. He is
credited with inventing "jazz poetry."

readability="8">

In Langston Hughes's poetry, he uses the rhythms
of African American music, particularly blues and
jazz.

It is probably for this
reason that Hughes' poetry has such a unique sound. Hughes found it difficult to earn a
living as a writer, but had some success, especially after writing lyrics for a Broadway
musical— which enabled him to buy a house in Harlem, a long-standing dream. His writing
and reputation grew.

readability="7">

Langston Hughes was, in his later years, deemed
the "Poet Laureate of the Negro
Race…"

Hughes was a prolific
writer, writing well over three hundred poems in his lifetime. His prominence as a poet
has grown over the years. Many of his poems are especially appealing in that they
describe the pride of being an American, while ironically he also wished he could
enjoy the rights of an American.

His
poem "Little Old Letter" is especially powerful because of the nature of the two
extremes presented in the writing. The speaker also mourns the loss of love in his life.
The poem's title is a little misleading, calling the "Dear John" letter a "little old
letter," which intentionally misleads the reader. The note is anything
but "little," and this point is crystal clear at the end when the
speaker notes that the pen is a cruel and destructive
weapon:

Just a
pencil and paper,

You don’t need no gun or
knife—

A little old letter

Can
take a person’s life.

Both of
these poems reflect the similar theme of lost love. Hughes' poem concentrates on the
power of words to destroy love, and is straight-foward and impactful. In Johnson's poem,
the heartbreak seeps through each line, eliciting in the reader mournful images—tied to
nature—demonstrating the true depth of this man's loss: the stars and sun don't shine as
brightly, the sky has paled and the bird has "forgotten his
song."

Johnson and Hughes show us that love lost speaks a
universal
language.

Additional
Sources:

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/175745

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes