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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

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
I went down to the river, I set down on the bank. I tried to think but couldn’t, So I jumped in and sank.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Jump Myself River Thinking
My seeking has been to explain and illuminate the Negro condition in America and obliquely that of all human kind.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Condition Explanation Human Kind Seek
LIBERTY! FREEDOM! DEMOCRACY! True anyhow no matter how many Liars use those words.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Democracy Freedom Liberty True Word
Road’s in front o’ me, Nothin’ to do but walk.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Myself Road Walk
Most musicians remain poor. But the music that they make, even if it does not bring them millions, gives millions of people happiness.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Happiness Music People Poor
I’ve known rivers: I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins. My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Deep Growth Human Old River Soul World
I don’t dare start thinking in the morning. I don’t dare start thinking in the morning. If I thought thoughts in bed, Them thoughts would bust my head– So I don’t dare start thinking in the morning.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Dare Morning Myself Start Thinking
It has seemed to me that most people are generally good, in every race and in every country where I have been.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Country Goodness Myself People Race
For poems are like rainbows; they escape you quickly.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Escape Poem Quick Yourself
The depression brought everybody down a peg or two. And the Negroes had but few pegs to fall.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Alcohol Depression Fall
Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Rain Sing Song
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night And I love the rain.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Love Myself Night Play Rain Song
We Negro writers, just by being black, have been on the blacklist all our lives. Censorship for us begins at the color line.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Beginning Black Live Oppression Ourselves Poet Writing
The calm, Cool face of the river, Asked me for a kiss.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Calm Cool Face Kiss Myself River
Everything there is but lovin’ leaves a rust on your old soul.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Leaving Love Old Soul Yourself

An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.

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An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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