Langston Hughes (1 February 1902 – 22 May 1967 / Missouri)
Poems by Langston Hughes : 13 / 93
Cross
My old man's a white old man
And my old mother's black.
If ever I cursed my white old man
I take my curses back.
If ever I cursed my black old mother
And wished she were in hell,
I'm sorry for that evil wish
And now I wish her well
My old man died in a fine big house.
My ma died in a shack.
I wonder where I'm going to die,
Being neither white nor black?
Langston Hughes
Submitted: Friday, January 03, 2003
Edited: Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Read poems about / on: sorry, evil, mother, house
Poems by Langston Hughes : 13 / 93
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This is such a good poem, it really describes the situation of many african americans back then. It really resonates with me because I'm a halfie too.
A marvelous poem! Many levels of reflection and surprising turns. Langston Hughes is génial!
Really go shows a point in life and how others think of each other...
This a great piece. I had a connection with this as i am neither white nor black
Grt piece...the contrast jst brings it al 2 a touch!
Excellent! The poem conveys the author's dilemma in a witty way even though the message is rather profound (race and family conflict) .
When I originally read this poem I also focused on the racial message. However, after studying the poem more carefully I concluded that 'race' was not the subject, rather it was the container stored the lesson.
To me, the person in the poem was apologizing to his dead parents for blaming them for his life that was bitter because he wasn't accepted by blacks or whites.
As he grew in understanding he realized that only 'he' was responsible for his success or lack thereof in this life.
So the message to me is to fight the urge to 'blame' someone else for your problems and take complete ownership of your life.
This man lives on in his poetry.
Very nicely written.
Let us do away with any form of racism and discrimination
Poetry is a great way to teach wisdom.
Reading Langston Hughes now, in an age where a mixed race man has become president of the United States and where something he was so sure would never happen, has happened gives these poems a new and bittersweet resonance.
i love Langston's honesty and vivid
use of language.
i hope he can see how far the world has come.
blessings.
i really love this poem because i am multiracial. race itself doesn't matter to me because i am so many different things like black, white, Indian, and Spanish. sometimes when you're multiracial you kind of feel like you don't really have a place since you don't fall into one single category.In that case i think we have to make up our own place in the world and teach others that no matter what racism isn't right nor is it fair. being mixed with so many things makes me happy because it gives me a chance to explore my roots, where i really come from.