black
grey
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My seeking has been to explain and illuminate the Negro condition in America and obliquely that of all human kind.

Langston Hughes

Love is a naked shadow, On a gnarled and naked tree.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Love Naked Shadow Tree Yourself
Road’s in front o’ me, Nothin’ to do but walk.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Myself Road Walk
Negro blood is sure powerful, because just one drop of black blood makes a colored man. One drop–you are a Negro! . . . Black is powerful.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Acceptance Black Blood Inspirational Powerful
I did not believe political directives could be successfully applied to creative writing . . . not to poetry or fiction, which to be valid had to express as truthfully as possible the individual emotions and reactions of the writer.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Believe Creative Direction Politics Reaction Success Thinking Writing
A dog gets lonesome just like a human. He wants to associate with other dogs, but when they take him out, the poor dog is on a leash and cannot run around.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Dog Human Prison Run
Life is a big sea full of many fish. I let down my nets and pulled. I’m still pulling.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Big Life Myself
For my best poems were all written when I felt the worst. When I was happy, I didn’t write anything.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Best Feeling Happiness Myself Poem Worst Writing
We build our temples for tomorrow, strong as we know how, and we stand on top of the mountain, free within ourselves.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Build Freedom Mountain Ourselves Stand Strong Temple
An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Afraid Artist Choice Fear Freedom
There’s a certain amount of traveling in a dream deferred.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Dreams Lost Travel
Why should I want to be white? I am a Negro – and beautiful!
LANGSTON HUGHES

Acceptance Beautiful Black Myself Self Love White
What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or does it explode?
LANGSTON HUGHES

Dreams Explode Sun
Hang yourself, poet, in your own words. Otherwise, you are dead.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Death Poet Word Yourself
Gather up In the arms of your love—Those who expect No love from above.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Expectation Love Yourself
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

Alive Learning Myself Return Stay
I do not want no pretty woman. First thing you know, you fall in love with her-then you got to kill somebody about her. She’ll make you so jealous, you’ll bust!
LANGSTON HUGHES

Fall In Love Herself Jealous Woman Yourself

My seeking has been to explain and illuminate the Negro condition in America and obliquely that of all human kind.

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My seeking has been to explain and illuminate the Negro condition in America and obliquely that of all human kind.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Langston Hughes Quotes