Langston Hughes poems


THEME FOR ENGLISH B

The instructor said,

Go home and write

a page tonight.

And let that page come out of you---

Then, it will be true.

I wonder if it's that simple?

I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem.

I went to school there, then Durham, then here

to this college on the hill above Harlem.

I am the only colored student in my class.

The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem

through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas,

Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y,

the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator

up to my room, sit down, and write this page:

It's not easy to know what is true for you or me

at twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what

I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:

hear you, hear me---we two---you, me, talk on this page.

(I hear New York too.) Me---who?

Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.

I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.

I like a pipe for a Christmas present,

or records---Bessie, bop, or Bach.

I guess being colored doesn't make me NOT like

the same things other folks like who are other races.

So will my page be colored that I write?

Being me, it will not be white.

But it will be

a part of you, instructor.

You are white---

yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.

That's American.

Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me.

Nor do I often want to be a part of you.

But we are, that's true!

As I learn from you,

I guess you learn from me---

although you're older---and white---

and somewhat more free.

This is my page for English B.

The Negro Speaks of Rivers

I've known rivers:

I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow

of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.

I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.

I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.

I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went

down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy bosom turn

all golden in the sunset.

I've known rivers:

Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I, Too, Sing America

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,

But I laugh,

And eat well,

And grow strong.

Tomorrow,

I'll be at the table

When company comes.

Nobody'll dare

Say to me,

"Eat in the kitchen,"

Then.

Besides,

They'll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

Democracy

Democracy will not come

Today, this year

Nor ever

Through compromise and fear.

I have as much right

As the other fellow has

To stand

On my two feet

And own the land.

I tire so of hearing people say,

Let things take their course.

Tomorrow is another day.

I do not need my freedom when I'm dead.

I cannot live on tomorrow's bread.

Freedom

Is a strong seed

Planted

In a great need.

I live here, too.

I want freedom

Just as you.

Mulatto

I am your son, white man!

Georgia dusk

And the turpentine woods.

One of the pillars of the temple fell.

You are my son!

Like Hell!

The moon over the turpentine woods.

The Southern night

Full of stars,

Great big yellow stars.

What's a body but a toy?

Juicy bodies

Of nigger wenches

Blue black

Against black fences.

O, you little bastard boy,

What's a body but a toy?

The scent of pine wood stings the soft night air.

What's the body of your mother?

Silver moonlight everywhere.

What's the body of your mother?

Sharp pine scent in the evening air.

A nigger night,

A nigger joy,

A little yellow

Bastard boy.

Naw, you ain't my brother.

Niggers ain't my brother.

Not ever.

Niggers ain't my brother.

The Southern night is full of stars,

Great big yellow stars.

O, sweet as earth,

Dusk dark bodies

Give sweet birth

To little yellow bastard boys.

Git on back there in the night,

You ain't white

The bright stars scatter everywhere.

Pine wood scent in the evening air.

A nigger night,

A nigger joy.

I am your son, white man!

A little yellow

Bastard boy.

MADAM'S CALLING CARDS

I had some cards printed

The other day.

They cost me more

Than I wanted to pay.

I told the man

I wasn't no mint,

But I hankered to see

My name in print.

MADAM JOHNSON,

ALBERTA K.

He said, Your name looks good

Madam'd that way.

Shall I use Old English

Or a Roman letter?

I said, Use American.

American's better.

There's nothing foreign

To my pedigree:

Alberta K. Johnson--

American that's me.

Refugee in America

There are words like Freedom

Sweet and wonderful to say.

On my heart-strings freedom sings

All day everyday.

There are words like Liberty

That almost make me cry.

If you had known what I knew,

You would know why.


Morning After

I was so sick last night I

Didn't hardly knokw my mind.

So sick last night I

Didn't know my mind.

I drunk some bad licker that

Almost made me blind.

Had a dream last night I

Thought I was in hell.

I drempt last night I

Thought I was in hell.

Woke up and looked around me--

Babe, your mouth was open like a well.

I said, Baby! Baby!

Please don't snore so loud.

Baby! Please!

Please don't snore so loud.

You jest a little bit o' woman but you

Sound like a great big crowd.

Young Gal's Blues

I'm gonna walk to the graveyard

'Hind ma friend Miss Cora Lee.

GOnna walk to the graveyard

'Hind ma dear friend Cora Lee.

Cause when I'm dead some

Body'll have to walk behind me.

I'm goin' to the po' house

To see ma old Aunt Clew.

Goin' to the po' house

To see ma old Aunt Clew

When I'm old an' ugly

I'll want to see somebody too.

The po' house is lonely

An' the grave is cold.

O, the po' house is lonely,

The graveyard grave is cold.

But I'd rather be dead than

To be ugly an' old.

When love is bone what

Can a young gal do?

When love is gone, O.

What can a young gal do?

Keep on a-lovin'me, daddy,

Cause I don't wanna be blue.



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