Poems About Langston Hughes Seeking Honest Critique
#LangstonHughes
ClassyBird
Poem Published
29th Jan 2020 3:32pm
29th Jan 2020 3:32pm
In Between
Keep your head down child,
Don't you dare look them in the eyes,
If the white man ask you a question, you answer.
You do not speak unless you are asked to,
Mind your manners now,
It's, “Yes sir, no ma’am”.
These are the rules I was born into
Passed down by my ancestors
From the dark skinned woman and strong black man
to their Negro children.
Sometimes I wonder if these rules apply to me,
As my skin glows differently.
Master calls me his ‘Special one’
I figured that's the reason...
Don't you dare look them in the eyes,
If the white man ask you a question, you answer.
You do not speak unless you are asked to,
Mind your manners now,
It's, “Yes sir, no ma’am”.
These are the rules I was born into
Passed down by my ancestors
From the dark skinned woman and strong black man
to their Negro children.
Sometimes I wonder if these rules apply to me,
As my skin glows differently.
Master calls me his ‘Special one’
I figured that's the reason...
#mother
#father
#childhood
#identity
#LangstonHughes
776 reads
14 Comments
wallyroo92
Poem Published
28th Jan 2020 10:35pm
28th Jan 2020 10:35pm
The Beast
This piece is for the migrants who died,
Or survived,
Or have been maimed,
For the poor in search of a better life,
Praying,
That their dreams come true,
When they faced the Beast.
Those who traveled thousands of miles,
Along the countryside,
Through cities and towns of Mexico
On the way north,
Through the dangers and perils
Of gangs and robbers
Crooked cops,
Beaten and raped,
Who have lost limbs
Under the wheels of the iron horse
But the Beast doesn’t care.
This is for the countless stories ...
Or survived,
Or have been maimed,
For the poor in search of a better life,
Praying,
That their dreams come true,
When they faced the Beast.
Those who traveled thousands of miles,
Along the countryside,
Through cities and towns of Mexico
On the way north,
Through the dangers and perils
Of gangs and robbers
Crooked cops,
Beaten and raped,
Who have lost limbs
Under the wheels of the iron horse
But the Beast doesn’t care.
This is for the countless stories ...
#LifeStruggles
#TruthOfLife
#HumanRights #LangstonHughes
#HumanRights #LangstonHughes
572 reads
4 Comments
Josh
Joshua Bond
Joshua Bond
Poem Published
15th Jan 2020 2:08pm
15th Jan 2020 2:08pm
Crossed Wires
Let’s all go to the Quadroon Ball
Oh no, you’re mulatto, you can’t go
As the white guys ogle at the off-white gals
But the black guys can’t - no, they can’t go
I’m sort of an octoroon you see
So I should get in, yes I should get in
But my skin’s too black despite white blood
And the Jim Crow grins look meanly grim
Let’s all go to the Quadroon Ball
The music’s good, the dance-floor wide
But Federal Laws don’t reach this State
So I’m standing here, all cold, outside.
#LangstonHughes ...
Oh no, you’re mulatto, you can’t go
As the white guys ogle at the off-white gals
But the black guys can’t - no, they can’t go
I’m sort of an octoroon you see
So I should get in, yes I should get in
But my skin’s too black despite white blood
And the Jim Crow grins look meanly grim
Let’s all go to the Quadroon Ball
The music’s good, the dance-floor wide
But Federal Laws don’t reach this State
So I’m standing here, all cold, outside.
#LangstonHughes ...
#politics
#dialogue
#respect #LangstonHughes
#respect #LangstonHughes
816 reads
19 Comments
russell_snow
Poem Published
7th Jan 2020 6:28pm
7th Jan 2020 6:28pm
Opportunity Bridge
(1920's jazz poetry)
We were born crawlin' on de
Coal side of de tracks
We were born crawlin' on de
Cold side of de tracks
Burnin' holes in our pockets
Soon's we buyin' a shirt an' some slacks
An' we were born dyin' on de first
Day we walked
We were born dyin' on de first
Day we walked
Now we hearin' 'bout a life to live
Out beyond de docks
Lawd knows our train
Left de station an' it's long gone
Lawd knows our train
Left de station an' it's long long gone
Long long, long...
We were born crawlin' on de
Coal side of de tracks
We were born crawlin' on de
Cold side of de tracks
Burnin' holes in our pockets
Soon's we buyin' a shirt an' some slacks
An' we were born dyin' on de first
Day we walked
We were born dyin' on de first
Day we walked
Now we hearin' 'bout a life to live
Out beyond de docks
Lawd knows our train
Left de station an' it's long gone
Lawd knows our train
Left de station an' it's long long gone
Long long, long...
#dreams
#mountains
#lyrics
#LangstonHughes
#trains
458 reads
8 Comments
slipalong
Poem Published
5th Jan 2020 10:01am
5th Jan 2020 10:01am
The blues I knew
In the main parade
lounging on the bar with a dead beer
Heard strains from a small honky-tonk
Needin some more suthrn cheeer
The piano man he played
The ol blues in shades of grey
tun'es my granny sang
Pullin me to hum along
From hard work and pain
The blues down payment
Not content but lament
From blood and toil was it distilled
Dat coin dat paid the bill
Drums his foot while we all nod
The blues of street of dust and hot
Dat beaten fields of sweat
The shackled, servile just like dogs ...
lounging on the bar with a dead beer
Heard strains from a small honky-tonk
Needin some more suthrn cheeer
The piano man he played
The ol blues in shades of grey
tun'es my granny sang
Pullin me to hum along
From hard work and pain
The blues down payment
Not content but lament
From blood and toil was it distilled
Dat coin dat paid the bill
Drums his foot while we all nod
The blues of street of dust and hot
Dat beaten fields of sweat
The shackled, servile just like dogs ...
#oppression
#music
#LangstonHughes
537 reads
4 Comments
Ahavati
Tams
Tams
Poem Published
4th Jan 2020 1:48am
4th Jan 2020 1:48am
Water and White Cotton
( after Langston Hughes )
Blood is Life
the good book says;
but, water comprises the majority
of our heart and lungs—
enables white bones
to hold up this black body—
its silt reshaping
brief lessons in history
I envision archaic journeys
for bartered captivity—
restless swells beat'n
ships against their breasts;
demanding dead ancestors
for safe passage
across the Atlantic
Water, everywhere—
churn'n dark as...
Blood is Life
the good book says;
but, water comprises the majority
of our heart and lungs—
enables white bones
to hold up this black body—
its silt reshaping
brief lessons in history
I envision archaic journeys
for bartered captivity—
restless swells beat'n
ships against their breasts;
demanding dead ancestors
for safe passage
across the Atlantic
Water, everywhere—
churn'n dark as...
#racism
#HumanRights
#inequality #LangstonHughes
#inequality #LangstonHughes
1360 reads
42 Comments
DU Poetry : Poems About Langston Hughes Seeking Honest Critique
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#LangstonHughes is curated by Ahavati (Tams).
