You and your whole race., di Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes

You and your whole race.

Look down upon the town in which you live

And be ashamed.

Look down upon white folks

And upon yourselves

And be ashamed

That such supine poverty exists there,

That such stupid ignorance breeds children there

Behind such humble shelters of despair—

That you yourselves have not the sense to care

Nor the manhood to stand up and say

I dare you to come one step nearer, evil world,

With your hands of greed seeking to touch my throat, I dare you to come one step nearer me:

When you can say that

you will be free!

#AmericanWriters (January 2009) Poetry Source:

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Altre opere di Langston Hughes...

Wealth

From Christ to Ghandi Appears this truth— St. Francis of Assisi Proves it, too: Goodness becomes grandeur

Snake

He glides so swiftly Back into the grass— Gives me the courtesy of road To let me pass, That I am half ashamed

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Enemy

It would be nice In any case, To someday meet you Face to face Walking down

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

Remember

Remember The days of bondage— And remembering— Do not stand still. Go to the highest hill

Pierrot

I work all day, Said Simple John, Myself a house to buy. I work all day, Said Simple John,

Motto

I play it cool I dig all jive. That's the reason I stay alive. My motto

Dreams

Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams

Lincoln Monument: Washington

Let’s go see Old Abe Sitting in the marble and the moon… Sitting lonely in the marble and t… Quiet for ten thousand centuries,… Quiet for a million, million years…

Negro Dancers

'Me an’ ma baby’s Got two mo’ ways, Two mo’ ways to do de Charleston!… Da, da, Da, da, da!

Let America be America Again

Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain Seeking a home where he himself is… (America never was America to me.…

Fire-Caught

The gold moth did not love him So, gorgeous, she flew away. But the gray moth circled the flam… Until the break of day. And then, with wings like a dead d…

Ennui

It’s such a Bore Being always Poor.

I look at the world

I look at the world From awakening eyes in a black fac… And this is what I see: This fenced—off narrow space Assigned to me.

Langston Hughes