Langston Hughes:

In Time of Silver Rain

Walkers with the Dawn

Quiet Girl

The Negro Speaks of Rivers

Dream Deferred

Me and the Mule

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Snally Gaster's African American Phat Library Experience

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Me and the Mule

My old mule,
He's gota grin on his face.
He's been a mule so long
He's forgotten about his race.

I'm like that old mule --
Black -- and don't give a damn!
You got to take me
Like I am.

 

In Time of Silver Rain

In time of silver rain
the earth
puts forth new life again,
green grasses grow
and flowers lift their heads,
and over all the plain
the wonder spreads

  Of Life,
  Of Life,
  Of life!

In time of silver rain
the butterflies
lift silken wings
to catch a rainbow cry,
and trees put forth
new leaves to sing
in joy beneath the sky
as down the roadway
passing boys and girls
go singing, too,

  in time of silver rain When spring
  and life
  are new.


Walkers with the Dawn

Being walkers with the dawn and morning,
Walkers with the sun and morning,
We are not afraid of night,
Nor days of gloom,
Nor darkness_
Being walkers with the sun and morning.


Quiet Girl

I would liken you
To a night without stars
Were it not for your eyes.
I would liken you
To a sleep without dreams
Were it not for your songs.


The Negro Speaks of Rivers (to W. E. B. B. DuBois)

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.


Dream Deferred

What happens to a dream deferred?

  Does it dry up
  like a raisin in the sun?

  Or fester like a sore--
  and then run?

  Does it stink like rotten meat?
  Or crust and sugar over--
  like a syrupy sweet?

  Maybe it just sags
  like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?