Quotes from Langston Hughes

Adventure is a great thing," said Simple, "which should be in everybody's life. According to 'The Late Late Show' on TV, in the old days when Americans headed West in covered wagons, they was almost sure to run into adventure--at the very least a battle with the Red Skins. Nowadays, if you want to run into adventure, go to Alabama or Mississippi, where you can battle with the White Skins.

Good evening, daddy! I know you've heard The boogie-woogie rumble Of a dream deferred Trilling the treble And twining the bass Into midnight ruffles Of cat-gut lace. –"Boogie: 1 A.M." by Langston Hughes

You are white- Yet a part of me as I am a part of you. That's American.... AsI learn from you, I guess you learn from me- Although you're older-and white- And somewhat more free.

The calm, Cool face of the river Asked me for a kiss.

Hell no! It's time to talk back now! History says it's time

Mortal frailty, greed, and error, know no boundary lines. The explosives of war do not care whose hands fashion them. Certainly, both Marxists and Christians can be cruel. Would that Christ came back to save us all. We do not know how to save ourselves.

I live on a park bench, You, Park Avenue. Hell of a distance Between us two. I beg a dime for dinner-- You got a butler and maid. But I'm wakin' up! Say, ain't you afraid That I might, just maybe, In a year or two, Move on over To Park Avenue?

Now, In June, When the night is a vast softness Filled with blue stars, And broken shafts of moon-glimmer Fall upon the earth, Am I too old to see the fairies dance? I cannot find them any more.

But the way you talk, fun is first and foremost. You imply that there is no fun to be had around white folks." "I never had none," said Simple.

Bring me all of your dreams, You dreamers. Bring me all of your Heart melodies That I may wrap them In a blue cloud-cloth Away from the too rough fingers Of the world.

Hey you rising workers everywhere greetings

There are some very stupid men in the capitals of the Western World--the more stupid because they think they are so wise. It would seem to me that almost anybody would know by now that colored peoples do not like to be ruled by outside forces, Jim Crowed, segregated, told what to do by aliens, and in general kicked around.

Of all the big cities in the world where I've been, the Muscovites seemed to be the politest of people to strangers. But perhaps that was because we were Negroes, and, at that time, with the Scottsboro case on world-wide trial in the papers everywhere and especially in Russia, folks went out of their way to show us courtesy. On a crowded bus, nine times out if ten, some Russian would say, 'Negrochanski tovarish--Negro comrade--take my seat!

Afraid We cry among the skyscrapers As our ancestors Cried among the palms in Africa Because we are alone, It is night, And we're afraid.

And so it was And is with you: The seed, the flower, The root, the tree, The dream, the you.

Sure I know you! You're a White Man. I'm a Negro. You take all the best jobs And leave us the garbage cans to empty and The halls to clean. You have a good time in a big house at Palm Beach And rent us the back alleys And the dirty slums.

You know, our machine gun company was named after Frederick Douglass...Herndon suggested the name, and Milt made a speech on the connection between Negro rights at home and the fight here in Spain. He said, 'Yesterday, Etheopia, Czechoslovakia--today, Spain--tomorrow, maybe America. Fascism won't stop anywhere--until we stop it.

Mexican Market Woman This ancient hag Who sits upon the ground Selling her scanty wares Day in, day round, Has known high wind-swept mountains, And the sun has made Her skin so brown.

Is your name spelled C-A-P-I-T-A-L-I-S-T? Are you always a White Man?

Hold onto your dreams

White folks sure is a case!" She laid three slices of bread on top of the stove. "So spoiled with colored folks waiting on 'em all their days! Don't know what they'll do in heaven, 'cause I'm gonna sit down up there myself.

Sea Calm How still, How strangely still The water is today. It is not good For water To be so still that way.

When a man starts out to build a world, he starts first with himself.

The earth-meaning Like the sky-meaning Was fulfilled.