The poems collected here are sometimes very short - in some cases, only three lines - which is a nice change from the last couple of poetry books I read. There's a strong musical influence, particularly jazz, that's present here, and I wonder if my reading experience would be different if I knew a little more about that musical genre (something to add to the list of things to listen to!). A number of the poems did strike me as especially musical; I wonder if any of them - like the fantastic "Song for a Banjo Dance" - were ever sung, because I'd like to hear them if they were.

I've never read Hughes before, but had heard of him, and I can see that his most anthologised poem, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," is in this collection. Apparently he wrote it in "ten or fifteen minutes," which just makes me jealous, honestly, considering the number of absolutely indifferent sentences I had to delete from my own writing today. Fifteen minutes!!! I can see why the poem's so popular, and while I admire it, I have to admit that it's not my favourite of the poems collected here. That would be "Young Sailor," which I love for the rhythm and the repetition of joy, and secondly "To a Little Lover-Lass, Dead" for the sad, quiet imagery.