I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln
went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy
bosom turn all golden in the sunset.
Polyvocal Utterances:
This excerpt from "The Negro Speaks Rivers" by Langston Hughes exemplifies the modernist poetic element known as polyvocal utterances. Polyvocal utterances refer to the presentation of multiple voices or perspectives within a single poem, often creating a sense of fragmented or diverse voices. In this case, the speaker expresses a connection to different rivers and historical moments, representing the collective experiences and voices of African Americans across time and geography.