Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I’se been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So, boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps.
‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now—
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
Mother to Son
Analysis, meaning and summary of Langston Hughes's poem Mother to Son
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I first read this poen in the 7th grade and now that I am current taking some African Aamerican Literature courses I truely understand and appreciate the context of this great poem. Langston Hughes indeed a great writter of his times.
The poem is excellent but what do she mean by don’t sit down on the steps line
I have had to act out and memorize this poem and i enjoyed doing it very much. In this poem you can really be dramatic and i love being dramatic!!!!
Thank you Langston for the wonderful poem and all your others.
This poem is very intriging, Langston Hughes was a great poem artist.
my english teacher gave it out to our class to read, learn and enjoy it. not only is it a truelly beutiful poem, but there are many literacy techniques you can learn from it.
I am a mother to a son, I do not have words to describe the magnitude of the love I feel for him. He is 15 years old now and the teen age years have brought some distance between us. I e-mailed Langston Hughs’ poem to him, it is my hope that it will touch his heart. This beautiful poem is the closest I can get to conveying the immense emotion I feel toward my beloved son.
This poem and others Lnagston Hughes has written are beyond beautiful. His poetry and plays are terrific. I love Mother to Son. I first read Mother to Son years ago and I heard about Langston Hughes years ago and his writing still inspires me to this day.
I thought tis was good poem. The Poem sound nice in my head. Poem was beautiful from end to beginning. Langston Hughes is the favorite writer now of me!
I went on this site for my english homework but got so much more! When I read this poem I fell deeply in love with it! It has so much meaning to everyone; NEVER GIVE UP WHEN SOMETHING IS HARD, BECAUSE OTHERS HAVE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH MORE! So I want to personally thank Mr. Sharp(my english teacher) for coming up with this assignment! Thank-you Mr. Sharp!
This is one of the best real poems that I have ever read.
our eight grade teacher required us to memorize this poem or another poem. Although i didn’t pick this poem, i learned alot from it while others recited it. Thanks ms. Blackwell
This poem is about an experience an evidence of a mother for her children and a fight for one’s life.
This is a great poem. We recently moved and at my last school we were studying poetry. My group had to stand up and read a poem, and this was it. Every time I read this, I hear my friends.
I think that this poem is very profound. It speaks not only to the olden times but also to today wherein individuals are faced with various obstacles. It reminds us that amidst it all Never Give Up.
I learned this poem in the 7th grade and it became a part of me. When things would get rather rough, I’d find myself- an African American (female)quoting this poem to myself. I’m now married, 40 years old, with two sons of my own. I consider Mr. Hughues’ poem a gift;one that I will continue to be share with my off-spring. This mother’s love and encouragement just resonates in this poem. It’s right on point–“don’t set down on the steps”. We just need to keep telling this generation….if past generations made it–SURELY YOU CAN TOO!
Loved all of your warm comments.
Gloria -Florida
I learned this poem in 8th grade. I had one of the few African American teachers our district had and she had us learn about African American heroes in history instead of only the “white” people that were in our books. I love this poem and I thank Mrs. Stafford for opening my eyes to real American history.
Black students preparing for a high stakes test were given an article to read on the life of Langston Hughes. I was sadden to know that neither had heard of him nor of this powerful poem. In preparation for one test the students have lost time to be exposed to such wonderful poetry. The next session will include this powerful poem that they need so much to build determination and stamina. Thank you Langston.
When was the poem “Mother to Son” written? Does it predate the short story, “Thank You, M’am,” which has a similar theme? I find a copyright date of 1958 for the story.
This poem is so powerful! Although it is written from the perspective of a Black woman, everyone can benefit from the wisdom shared. I shared it with my son, 11 years old, today, and we just marveled at the depth of it.
DEEP,VERY VERY DEEP.THIS POEM SPEAKS THE TRUTH.DON’T EVER GIVE IN!KEEP ON CLIMBEN TILL YOU REACH THE TOP!!!