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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the poem was great i’m a high school student and most of the poems we as students have to read are amazingly hard to comprehend but this one is talking about how his mother doesn’t want him to quit in life that he can achieve anything just as she has and is continuing to do.
How does the speaker view life?
From the mother’s message,what canwe infer about her character?
i need help i need to know who he wrote this peom to, what made him write this
This is one of my favorite poems in ths words, I know all the words to it. I love it so much and the metaphor really made so much sense. The stairs idea really made the poetry make sense.
I was given this poem by my “sun” which “sings out loud” to me that he has been inspired by MY life and that he has been given strength to hold tight and strong in his own hard times and struggles, through inspiration from me. In that, Langston Hughes gift of poetry has traveled full circle, as intended….a gift my son has given back to both Langston and I.
My grandfather cut this poem out of the newspaper and framed it for me when I was between 10 and 12. In moving either when I was 14 or 17 (two different moves) it was broken and lost. I have been looking for it since. I did not know the authors name, just “Life ain’t been no crystal stair”.
Thirty years later it still tells me, keep trying, don’t let your problems get you down.
Mark W. Weihl
I recieted this alot when I was younger.It delivers a great message and it makes me feel good when I recite it.
Thanks,
i am in the 8th grade and i loved this poem it really tough me alot about life and it may be a small poem but there is a big message in it..
I taught this poem at several levels, and always found the responses fascinating. Often they revealed more than I expected. The responses and the poem were inspiring to me then, and they are now as I reread them thirty years later. The poem shows dignity and power of will.
i was hoping to find on this site a little more insight to this poem. at what point in his life did hughes write this poem? what was the struggle that the son was going through to warrant encouragement to keep going. does anyone know?
This poem has really inspired me to mov eon in school because at one point i didn’t really care what/how i was doing in school and so this poem has motivated me to keep moving
i came across this poem by accident. i am the single parent to a teenage son and i felt it really captured the essence of our relationship. the poem says that although my life is hard sometimes giving up and giving in is not an option.
This poem is just beautiful, it makes one to lost in the sea of poetry. I had to choose a poet for my english class and I am so glad that I chose him. His poems are wonderful, can’t have enough words to describe. It inspires one to write, creat something and open the talent which one is hiding for years.
i read this poem over 30 years ago and it still moves me.
I truly believe that we are shaken by the words of many people but from a mother to son it’s a life time. This poem generates that kind of love you can only get from a loving heart.
I’m taking a course on Literature I choose this poem to analyze because it’s very inspiring.
the first time i read this poem i was made to in middle school…..n i loved it….again i was to read this poem in high school and had to act with it. i always told myself that i would read this poem to my son if i ever had the chance…..i have my chance my son was born to me on valentines day of 2001……with many problems…..his little life is what this poem depicts…..dont give up….keep going…….we all get whats due to us in the end…….life everlasting…..to my son mommy loves you lil man.
This poem has been carved in my mind since 7th grade. Just recently I decided to look for it, not quite sure who the poet was. Thankfully Langston Hughes sounded familiar. Today is my 24th birthday, and a good day to rediscover this amazing poem. It’s the perfect metephor for life.
a powerful piece of literature that explores the concept of physical and mental strength. this is set against background filled with dejection and lost hope.
The same as Adrian, I had been looking for this poem for ages, with the only difference that I had less places where to look. This poem left a very deep mark in my soul and I always wanted to have the privilege to share it with my friends all over the world. Thank you Langston for the poem and you at the site for this incredible opportunity!