Madam and the Phone Bill

For all of the sad and critical poems we've read, and all of the serious topics we've discussed, reading Langston Hughes' Madam and the Phone Bill was a welcome break. The poem's lighthearted feel and its style of writing are different than most things that we have read in class. In Madam and the Phone Bill, we are only able to hear Madam's part of a one-sided conversation, but Langston Hughes skillfully lets us in on the whole story by her responses. The story is a comedic one, and Madam plays her part well. My favorite part of the poem is the ending where Madam states that the Central Phone Company can keep her O.K., but she still ain't gonna pay.

In contrast to all of the heavy-natured poems, stories and essays we read, this poem was one that I was able to read straight up and take it at face value without trying to imagine undertones and try to understand what the author was thinking when they wrote it. I think that too often we try to look for a deeper, hidden meaning instead of just reading the poems and trying to enjoy them.