Frases de Langston Hughes

„Life is for the living.
Death is for the dead.
Let life be like music.
And death a note unsaid.“

—  Langston Hughes

Fuente: The Collected Poems

„When peoples care for you and cry for you, they can straighten out your soul.“

—  Langston Hughes

„O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.“

—  Langston Hughes

Let America Be America Again (1935)

„Hold fast to dreams
for if dreams die
life is a broken-winged bird
that can not fly.

Hold fast to dreams
for when dreams go
life is a barren field
frozen with snow.“

—  Langston Hughes

Fuente: The Collected Poems

„Folks, I'm telling you,
birthing is hard
and dying is mean-
so get yourself
a little loving
in between.“

—  Langston Hughes

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

—  Langston Hughes

"Dreams," from the anthology Golden Slippers: An Anthology of Negro Poetry for Young Readers, ed. Arna Bontemps (1941)

„Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.“

—  Langston Hughes

„I went down to the river,
I set down on the bank.
I tried to think but couldn't,
So I jumped in and sank.“

—  Langston Hughes

„Humor is laughing at what you haven't got when you ought to have it.“

—  Langston Hughes

"A Note on Humor", from The Book of Negro Humor https://books.google.com/books?id=60FkAAAAMAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%22Humor+is+laughing+at+what+you+haven%27t+got+when+you+ought+to+have+it.%22, p. vii (1966)

„You are white —
yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.“

—  Langston Hughes

"Theme from English B"
Montage of a Dream Deferred (1951)
Contexto: 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.

„I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.“

—  Langston Hughes

"I, Too, Sing America," in the magazine Survey Graphic (March 1925); reprinted in Selected Poems (1959)
Contexto: 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.

„What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?“

—  Langston Hughes

"Harlem"
Montage of a Dream Deferred (1951)
Contexto: 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?

„The steel of freedom does not stain.
From those who live like leeches on the people's lives,
We must take back our land again,
America!“

—  Langston Hughes

Let America Be America Again (1935)
Contexto: Sure, call me any ugly name you choose —
The steel of freedom does not stain.
From those who live like leeches on the people's lives,
We must take back our land again,
America!

„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.“

—  Langston Hughes

"Theme from English B"
Montage of a Dream Deferred (1951)

„I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go.“

—  Langston Hughes

„I loved my friend
He went away from me
There's nothing more to say
The poem ends,
Soft as it began-
I loved my friend.“

—  Langston Hughes

„Looks like what drives me crazy
Don't have no effect on you--
But I'm gonna keep on at it
Till it drives you crazy, too.“

—  Langston Hughes

Fuente: Selected Poems

„I stay cool, and dig all jive,
That's the way I stay alive.
My motto,
as I live and learn,
is
Dig and be dug
In return.“

—  Langston Hughes

"Motto"
Montage of a Dream Deferred (1951)
Variante: My motto,
As I live and learn,
is:
Dig And Be Dug
In Return.

„Oh, God of Dust and Rainbows,
Help us to see
That without the dust the rainbow
Would not be.“

—  Langston Hughes