The Mini Anthology of Langston Hughes Jamar.Jackson English 9 Period 3 5/20/09 Langston Hughes

Table Of Content 1.Page 3-Biography 2.Page 4-Intro to Poems 3.Page 5-Dreams 4.Page 6-Juke box love song 5.Page-7As I grew older 6.Page 8-Love song for Lucinda 7.Page 9-Mother to son 8.Page 10-Glossary 9.Page 11-Afterward

Bio James Mercer Langston Hughes Named after his father and great uncle born February 1, 1902 born in Missouri he grew up in Joplin, he was an American poet, novelist, playwright, short story writer, He was one of the ones who invented the new literary art form jazz poetry. He's is known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance.He was a second child his mother was a school teacher and his great uncle was the first black to be elected to the United States Congress from Virginia. he is a African American, European American and Native American descent. growing up in the Ghetto his childhood was not an a happy one, but it was one that heavily influenced the poet he would become. In high that’s were he started to write his poetry one of his famous poems “When Sue Wears Red“ was written in school in Hughes life he won many awards after growing up and Langston died from complication after abdominal surgery related to prostate cancer James Mercer Langston Hughes legacy will live on

Introduction to Poems Poem one is called Dreams and it is about not giving up on your dreams because it’s a cold crazy world Poem two juke box love song its about having a good time with a girl u love or like and comparing there love to a song. I think this poem as I grew older is saying nothing should be able to stop you from your dreams. Now this poem Love song for Lucinda is about love and what happens when you do certain things and some times it can hurt you. This poem is one of my favorite poem because it saying life isn't easy it a rough place just don’t never give up on what you want to do.

Dreams Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.

Juke Box Love Song I could take the Harlem night and wrap around you, Take the neon lights and make a crown, Take the Lenox Avenue busses, Taxis, subways, And for your love song tone their rumble down. Take Harlem's heartbeat, Make a drumbeat, Put it on a record, let it whirl, And while we listen to it play, Dance with you till day-- Dance with you, my sweet brown Harlem girl.

As I grew older I It was a long time ago. have almost forgotten my dream. But it was there then, In front of me, Bright like a sun-- My dream. And then the wall rose, Rose slowly, Slowly, Between me and my dream. Rose until it touched the sky-- The wall. Shadow. I am black. I lie down in the shadow. No longer the light of my dream before me, Above me. Only the thick wall. Only the shadow. My hands! My dark hands! Break through the wall! Find my dream! Help me to shatter this darkness, To smash this night, To break this shadow Into a thousand lights of sun, Into a thousand whirling dreams Of sun!

Love song for Lucinda Love Is a ripe plum Growing on a purple tree. Taste it once And the spell of its enchantment Will never let you be. Love Is a bright star Glowing in far Southern skies. Look too hard And its burning flame Will always hurt your eyes. Love Is a high mountain Stark in a windy sky. If you Would never lose your breath Do not climb too high

Mother to Son Well, son, I'll tell you: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. It's had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor— Bare. But all the time I'se been a-climbin' on, And reachin' landin's, And turnin' corners, And sometimes goin' in the dark Where there ain't been no light. So, boy, don't you turn back. Don't you set down on the steps. 'Cause you finds it's kinder hard. Don't you fall now— For I'se still goin', honey, I'se still climbin', And life for me ain't been no crystal stair

Glossary Barren-Not producing offspring. Enchantment-The act of enchanting.

Afterward I think Langston Hughes was a great poet and he had plenty more great poems to choose from but I went down the list and choose some that I thought I would like and im a start of with the first poem its called dreams and its basically saying hold on to your ‘‘dreams’’ so you can make something of your self.”Juke box love song” it’s a song bout a special girl to him a he talking about his love for her. ‘‘Love song for Lucinda” its about watching who you love in life so you don’t get your heart broke. Now ‘‘as I grew older’’ is about seeing your dreams and letting them almost really fade away and nothing should stop you.this final one ‘‘Mother to Son’’ is my favorite one because it’s a mother telling her son life aint easy as you mite think it is a rough place just don’t never give up on what you want to do keep your head up and do what you want to.