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Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.

Langston Hughes

I swear to the Lord, I still can’t see, why Democracy means, everybody but me.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Democracy God Government Myself See
Gather quickly Out of darkness All the songs you know And throw them at the sun Before they melt Like snow.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Darkness Quick Snow Song Sun
Misery is when you heard on the radio that the neighborhood you live in is a slum but you always thought it was home.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Home Live Misery Radio Thinking Yourself
Books -where if people suffered, they suffered in beautiful language, not in monosyllables.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Beautiful Book Language People Suffering
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
The past has been a mint Of blood and sorrow. That must not be True of tomorrow.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Blood Past Sorrow Tomorrow True
Life is a system of half-truths and lies, Opportunistic, convenient evasion.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Life Lying Opportunity System Truth
A world I dream where black or white, Whatever race you be, Will share the bounties of the Earth And every man is free.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Black Dreams Earth Freedom Man Race White World Yourself
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
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
Money and art are far apart.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Art Money One Liner
The first of the month falls every month, too, North or South. And them white folks who sends bills never forgets to send them-the phone bill, the furniture bill, the water bill, the gas bill, insurance, house rent.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Fall Forget Home Insurance Phone
Both of them were very good and kind – the one who went to church and the one who didn’t. And no doubt from them I learned to like both Christians and sinners equally well.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Doubt Equality Goodness Kindness Learning Myself Sin
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed – Let it be that great strong land of love Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Dreams Greatness Kind Man Oneself Strong
Blues had the pulse beat of the people who keep on going.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Hard Time Inspirational Motivational People
The calm, Cool face of the river, Asked me for a kiss.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Calm Cool Face Kiss Myself River
We younger Negro artists who create now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased we are glad. If they aren?t it doesn?t matter.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Artist Creation Darkness Expression Happiness People Skin White Young
Sometimes a crumb falls From the tables of joy, Sometimes a bone Is flung. To some people Love is given, To others Only heaven.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Heaven Love Time
Teach us all to do right, Lord, please, and to get along together with that atom bomb on this earth because I do not want it to fall on me-nor Thee-nor anybody living. Amen!
LANGSTON HUGHES

Earth God Live Right Teaching Togetherness
When you turn the corner And you run into yourself Then you know that you have turned All the corners that are left.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Corner Run Yourself
Life is for the living. Death is for the dead. Let life be like music. And death a note unsaid.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Death Life Live Music Note
Peace We passed their graves: The dead men there, Winners or losers, Did not care. In the dark They could not see Who had gained The victory.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Death Grave Man Peace Victory
Why should I want to be white? I am a Negro – and beautiful!
LANGSTON HUGHES

Acceptance Beautiful Black Myself Self Love White
Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love. I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Drink Eat Learning Life Reading Sleep Understand Work
Hang yourself, poet, in your own words. Otherwise, you are dead.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Death Poet Word Yourself
Yet the ivory gods, And the ebony gods, And the gods of diamond-jade, Are only silly puppet gods That people themselves Have made.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Build Fake God Imagination People
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.
LANGSTON HUGHES

Company Darkness Eat Growth Laughter Myself Strong

Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.

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Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.

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