Before+and+Beyond+Harlem

http://www.redhotjazz.com/hughes.html

http://www.poemhunter.com/langston-hughes/


 * MH**

**Poem:**
**Still Here** been scared and battered. My hopes the wind done scattered.

Snow has friz me, Sun has baked me,

Looks like between 'em they done. Tried to make me

Stop laughin', stop lovin', stop livin'-- But I don't care! I'm still here!


 * Langston Hughes**

Langston Hughes was born February 1,1902 in Missouri. He was the second son of James Nathaniel Hughes and Carrie Mercer Langston Hughes. He was raised by his grandmother until he was thirteen because his parents were divorced. His big influences were Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Carl Sandburg, and Walt Whitman. Hughes is mostly known for his views on black life in America which was one of his main topics when it came to his poetry. He wrote plays, novels, and short stories along with poetry. His work was enormously important in forming the artistic contributions of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. Harlem Renaissance refers to a period of time of written and artistic creativity among African-Americans. Langston Hughes later died of complications from prostate cancer in May 22, 1967.

taught me the uselessness of crying about anything." (8) || Hughes obviously respected his grandmother and learned alot from her. She taught him to be strong and instead of crying, he expressed his emotions in poems. || ||
 * "Something about my grandmother's stories


 * Poems from __Before and Beyond Harlem__**

Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die, Life is a broken winged bird That cannot fly. (171) ||  || Meaning: Dreams are like goals and if you don't have goals in life than what will you do? || Let us kill off youth. For the sake of truth.
 * Poem:
 * Poem:

We who are old know what truth is - Truth is a bundle of vicious lies Tied together and sterilized - A war-makers' bait for unwise youth For the sake of Truth. (302) ||  || Meaning: Hughes seemed to have felt that war was pointless. He thought the young men who fought in war were naive and were being fooled by the government. || Life is for the living Death is for the dead Let life be like music And death a note unsaid. (255) ||  || Meaning: Hughes wrote this peom two months before a war in Spain. The tone is kind of humerous but also tells us how he feels about life. He compares life to music which is usaully a happy thing. || Oh, the sea is deep And a knife is sharp And a poison acid burns; But they all bring rest In a deep, long sleep For which the tired soul yearns- They all bring rest in a nothingness From where no road returns. (47) ||  || Meaning: The poem shows that there were times where Langston Hughes was probably deppressed. He wrote many other poems like this one to show his depression and longing to finally be at peace. || Plant your toes in the cool swamp mud; Step and leave no track. Hurry, sweating runner! The hounds are at your back.
 * Poem:
 * Poem:
 * Poem:

No I didn't touch her. White flesh ain't for me.

Hurry! Black boy, hurry! Or they'll swing you to a tree! (119) ||  || Meaning: Hughes is trying to show us an example of how an Afican American is done for once he is accused. Even if he is telling the truth, he will be found guitly if the white man thinks he is. ||


 * [[image:http://www.flag.com/images/US%20Flag5420.jpg width="317" height="249" caption="US%20Flag5420.jpg"]] || American History seems to be a bunch of never ending stories. There is always something new to learn and I definetly learned alot through Langston Hughes. I learned about his life as an African American poet. I saw through his eyes thanks to his poems and learned a lot more. ||  ||

Works Cited Berry, Faith. __Langston Hughes: Before and Beyond Harlem__. Wesport, CT: Lawrence Hill and Company,, Inc. 1-330. Goodman, Mary A. "Langston Hughes." __Poets.org__. 1997. Http://www.flag.com/images/US%20Flag5420.jpg. 28 Nov. 2008 <[|http://http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmpid/83]>. Jackson, Andrew P. "James Langston Hughes." __The Red Hott Jazz Archive__. 28 Nov. 2008 <[|http://http://www.redhotjazz.com/hughes.html]>. "Langston Hughes." __PoemHunter.com__. PoemHunter.com. 1 Dec. 2008 <[|http://http://www.poemhunter.com/langston-hughes/]>.

"Langston%203.jpg". 2 December 2008. http://www.mrzindman.com/Zindman%20Class%20Web%20Page/Zindman%20Web%20Site%20Folders/Roaring%201920's/Images%20Roaring%2020's/Langston%203.jpg

"langston_hughes.jpg". 2 December 2008. http://renaissanceguy.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/langston_hughes.jpg

"lh_boy.jpg". 3 December 2008. http://www.continuinged.ku.edu/hughes/files_city/images/lh_boy.jpg

"US%20Flag5420.jpg". 2 December 2008. http://www.flag.com/images/US%20Flag5420.jpg