Mr. Fred's Poetry Corner: The Dream of Langston Hughes

The Dream of Langston Hughes

“It was a long time ago.
I 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 . . .”

LH says he had a dream,
was then hid by a wall,
remember, nigger, they’s lots of us,
never had no dream at all.


You had excuses anyways,
Black hands and all of that,
people wanted you to fail,
and stay right where you’s at,
or go backwards if possible,
prison, or worse,
get you nigger ass killed,
get loaded-yourself-to-death
with that stupid needle shit.
What’s my excuse?
Ain’t got one. Pardon me.
White, Middle Class,
the world expects shit from me,
ain’t gon’ to get it neither.


Dream? Shit,
all I ever wanted
was to be left alone,
my only goal,
day by day, I got it too,
be careful what you wish for.
Don’t cry to me about your dream, nigger.
At least you had one.


February 29, 2008 (please read with a generous spirit)