I dedicate my favorite Langston Hughes (and all time favorite) poem to Obama:

[kid a]

THE NEGRO SPEAKS OF RIVERS
By Langston Hughes

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.

1922

[patrice]

1. Lucid, lovely, lush . . .

There's nothing like poetry for Truth telling.

[CitizenLeft]

4. perfect adjectives to describe that poem

Perfect.

And thank you, asSEENonTV, for posting it. :applause:

[patrice]

6. I'm a poetry fan. I think I'll memorize that one. nt

[goclark]

2. My favorite poet ~ thank you nt

[K Gardner]

3. I'm going to have to get a book of Langston Hughes.. beautiful.. is this what DU can be

like without incessant nattering neebobs? Very nice..

[Catherina]

5. I love Langston Hughes!

Can I be crass and throw some Countee Cullen in here? He's one of my favorites right next to Langston

I just had it on my clipboard from my last post here



For a Lady I Know
By: Countee Cullen

She even thinks that up in heaven
Her class lies late and snores,
while poor black cherubs rise at seven
to do celestial chores.

[KittyWampus]

7. lovely, thanks

[JKaiser]

8. typical

[K Gardner]

10. Are you in the wrong forum, perhaps?

[bling bling]

9. My favorite poem (all time favorite) is also by Langston Hughes!!

You reminded me of it. I read it during library time for English Class in junior high and I was struck so much by it that I stole the book so that I could keep the poem. That's sounds terrible, but we didn't have the internet back then, you couldn't just go online and print out a poem like you can these days. Anyway, the book is right here on my bookshelf. For 22 years I've toted it with me through over a dozen moves including cross-country and back!

There was something about this poem, it just struck me in a place, maybe my soul. I don't even really get into poetry that much so it was remarkable that I reacted the way I did after reading it.

Anyway, my favorite poem, ever, is:

I, Too

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