Analysis of “Cross” “Cross” is a poem written by Langston Hughes, who was known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance. The title is “Cross” because the speaker’s mother is black and his father is white. The poem states that his father “died in a fine big house”, while his mother died in a shack (Hughes 9). These context clues give us the idea that this poem was set in the days of slavery or shortly after when African Americans were discriminated against. The narrator of the poem tells his audience a story of how he doesn’t like that he’s part black because of the way he is treated, but he then tells his audience he loves his mother and is sorry for wishing he was somebody else. Langston Hughes uses several poetic devices throughout “cross” to portray discrimination The poem is structured very well, as it flows easily. “Cross” consists of three separate quatrains each having end rhyme. The first quatrain has an end rhyme pattern of ABAB. End rhyme in the second quatrain follows the pattern ABCB, so the second and third line of the quatrain rhymes while the other two do not. This emphasizes the narrators regret for wishing he were not black. The third quatrain follows the same end rhyme pattern as the second, again emphasizing the narrators words as he wonders how he will die, considering he is neither completely white or black. Overall the poem has an Iambic rhythm which makes it flow very well. This poem sort of paints a picture in a person’s head. There are no figures of speech, but it is very descriptive. The narrator tells of is