Growing up and raised by his grandmother, Langston Hughes was inspired by her wisdom and life challenges. His mother had moved from place to place trying to raise her son and may not have been able to support him with the little money she had been able to receive. His father had left after a year of marriage to his mother. His mother allowed his mother to raise him and provide for him. In the poem “Mother to Son,” this conversation may have taken place during one of her visits. Perhaps he was at a low point in his life where people were telling him not to try to become a poet. This poem encourages Mr. Hughes, but also continues to build the confidence of others today. In any conversation, feelings influence thinking and sometimes bring progress in another person's life. He wanted to influence the black community to strive for excellence in everyday life. Authorizing the language his grandmother spoke, he used it to explain how he was able to go on to become a great poet. He uses words like "Bar" and "I'se" to set the tone instead of "nu" or "I have been" (line 7 ...