Although the majority of Robert Hayden's writings address racial themes and depicts events in African-American history, he also wrote short poems that capture his own personal experiences. Hayden has an enormous amount of great poems and short stories, but as I read through many of them, I was touched by two specific poems that I felt I could personally relate to. I chose these poems because I am able to put myself into the storyline and understand what the writer is talking about. I believe that a good writer is able to reach any reader regardless of race, gender, or age. Hayden possessed an incredible skill with his language and the structures of his poems that could almost pull the reader right out of their chair and place them in the center of his writings.
Robert Hayden was born Asa Bundy Sheffey on August 4, 1913 in Detroit, Michigan. His mother left him in the care of his neighbors, William and Sue Ellen Hayden, when he was just eighteen months old while she left for New York. The Haydens never legally adopted Robert but they rechristened him as Robert Hayden and took care of him as if he had been their own child.
Hayden attended Detroit City College and Michigan University. During his time at Michigan, Hayden was able to continue his lifelong interest in writing and acting. The most important part of this time was that he had the opportunity to study with W.H.
Auden. Auden at the time was a visiting professor who spent time reading some of Hayden's works and giving him suggestions and valuable criticisms. Hayden credited Auden for ...