(1 February 1902 – 22 May 1967 / Missouri)

poet Langston Hughes
#10 on top 500 poets
User Rating:
8.1 / 10
( 343 votes )
What do you think this poem is about?

I, Too

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.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

Submitted: Friday, January 03, 2003


Read poems about / on: america, brother, beautiful

Comments about this poem (I, Too by Langston Hughes )

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  • Iris Sahara (5/7/2013 9:13:00 AM)

    This is brilliant
    Simply Radiant
    It is an artistic
    Piece of Work

    13 person liked.
    		1 person did not like.
  • Rosa Davis (12/2/2012 4:13:00 PM)

    I LOVE this poem, it makes me think, that here is a man, who was tried to make feel less inferior by his color shouting to the world that he was someone and that people should pay attention to him

    47 person liked.
    		26 person did not like.
  • Takia Mcintosh (8/14/2012 1:57:00 PM)

    This poem is timeless and beautiful.

    77 person liked.
    		26 person did not like.
  • Hunter irish (3/19/2012 7:30:00 AM)

    I think that this is a great poem. Because it teaches you about not being able to eat in the dinning room when you are a young slave. but when you get older you are aloud to eat in the dinning room when the company comes.

    55 person liked.
    		198 person did not like.
  • Luke Johnson (12/17/2009 6:37:00 PM)

    What makes Langston great is not the things he says(which are usually overtly simplistic) , but the things he said during the time period in which he lived.

    88 person liked.
    		65 person did not like.
  • Deborah Schuff (3/20/2009 11:31:00 PM)

    Ha! Take THAT, Walt Whitman!

    67 person liked.
    		90 person did not like.
  • Han Feifei (12/28/2008 7:23:00 AM)

    love it, and I will keep it in my heart

    78 person liked.
    		53 person did not like.
  • Talema Lawrence (11/20/2008 11:52:00 AM)

    love this one its my favorite

    58 person liked.
    		64 person did not like.
  • Cynthia Cathcart (11/10/2008 8:57:00 PM)

    This poem is especially relevant given the recent election in America. Absolutely prescient. Langston Hughes was a prophet.

    49 person liked.
    		89 person did not like.
  • Guest Guest (9/17/2008 2:21:00 AM)

    In this poem Hughes makes America a society that is fit for all people and will one day be totally colorblind.

    60 person liked.
    		74 person did not like.
Read all 18 comments »

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