# Angels Wings explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Langston Hughes.

## What happens

A speaker reflects on the purity of angels' wings, contrasting their whiteness with the speaker's own stained and fire-damaged wings, suggesting a fall from grace or a struggle with sin.

## Themes in this chapter

### Dreams and Despair

The contrast between the pure, white wings of angels and the speaker's soiled wings evokes a sense of lost innocence and despair.

### Death and Mortality

The imagery of wings dragged through fire and mire suggests a journey through suffering and perhaps a reckoning with mortality.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The speaker who laments dragging their wings through mire and fire.

## Key lines

> De angels wings is white as snow, But I drug ma wings In de dirty mire.

The angels' wings are pure white, but I have dragged my own wings through filth.

_The speaker contrasts divine purity with personal defilement._

> O, I drug ma wings All through de fire.

I have also dragged my wings through fire.

_The speaker acknowledges enduring trials or punishment._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se/chapters/angels-wings
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se/chapters