In this poem by Langston Hughes, we are quickly informed on the speakers knowledge of rivers. Being that much time has past throughout the timeline explained in the poem, the reader can conclude that the speaker is ancient. He is a very wise man who has a lot of stories to tell. Each river listed in this poem has its own function and meaning. Understanding these will enable the reader to grasp the meaning of the poem itself. The Euphrates River symbolizes the beginning or dawn of time. Just as this river is the dawn of time, African American slaves woke at the dawn of each day to work. The Congo exemplifies the path taken of civilization in comparison to African Americans. The pyramids mentioned in the poem, above the Nile River,
