Children, I come back today
To tell you a story of the long dark way
That I had to climb, that I had to know
In order that the race might live and grow.
Look at my face — dark as the night —
Yet shining like the sun with love’s true light.
I am the dark girl who crossed the red sea
Carrying in my body the seed of the free.
I am the woman who worked in the field
Bringing the cotton and the corn to yield.
I am the one who labored as a slave,
Beaten and mistreated for the work that I gave —
Children sold away from me, I’m husband sold, too.
No safety , no love, no respect was I due.
Three hundred years in the deepest South:
But God put a song and a prayer in my mouth .
God put a dream like steel in my soul.
Now, through my children, I’m reaching the goal.
Now, through my children, young and free,
I realized the blessing deed to me.
I couldn’t read then. I couldn’t write.
I had nothing, back there in the night.
Sometimes, the valley was filled with tears,
But I kept trudging on through the lonely years.
Sometimes, the road was hot with the sun,
But I had to keep on till my work was done:
I had to keep on! No stopping for me —
I was the seed of the coming Free.
I nourished the dream that nothing could smother
Deep in my breast — the Negro mother.
I had only hope then , but now through you,
Dark ones of today, my dreams must come true:
All you dark children in the world out there,
Remember my sweat, my pain, my despair.
Remember my years, heavy with sorrow —
And make of those years a torch for tomorrow.
Make of my pass a road to the light
Out of the darkness, the ignorance, the night.
Lift high my banner out of the dust.
Stand like free men supporting my trust.
Believe in the right, let none push you back.
Remember the whip and the slaver’s track.
Remember how the strong in struggle and strife
Still bar you the way, and deny you life —
But march ever forward, breaking down bars.
Look ever upward at the sun and the stars.
Oh, my dark children, may my dreams and my prayers
Impel you forever up the great stairs —
For I will be with you till no white brother
Dares keep down the children of the Negro Mother.
This is one of the most beautiful poems I have ever read and the most beautiful i ever recited. i recited it at my church during our womans day program, but then I couldn’t find it anymore until now. I just LOVE this poem an now that I HAVE FOUND IT, believe me it will not get misplaced again.On my wall it goes until my grandchildren are old enough to understand.
i like this poem .i take it in poem course in king saud universty .and i enjoy reading this poem. it carry great feeling of black people
I’m a Mexican, but grew up loving and looking up to black people. Langston is one of the African-Americans I respect the most. In his poems, he just speaks and writes with his heart. That is what makes his poems touch the strings of your heart.
This poems holds true the strength of the black women. The sacrafices she will endure to give to her children what they desreve it is and should be a guideline for young women to say to them that the struggle may be long put the outcome is worth the wait if you do your best with your children that although some of your dreams may have been delayed you can find pleasure in watching your children make theirs come true
this poem is real deep. I feel like he wrote that just for me. it shows how black woman suffered to get were they are at today. i still feel that we are not getting all the respect that we should.but we will get sooner or later.
God bless you Langston Hughes
This poem was one that really touched me. Being African American it is a struggle and Mr. Hughes’ poem shows this. We should honor his work and keep trying for a better tomorrow
THIS WAS A GREAT POEM ALL TOGETHR IT WAS JUST TOUCHING 2 ME BEING BLACK AND YOUNG ,IT JUST TOUCHED MY HEART THIS IS THE REASON WHY I AM FOLLOWING MY DREAM 2 B COME A POET THATS ALL I CAN SAY IT WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL
that brought tears of joys to my eyes. I,being the black woman i am, loved that poem.. I am now old, and i too had to suffer of that long ago many many moons ago. I feel that no one should have to go through that great depression again. Everyone should live life betterd.. not through the wiplashes and the beatings I got from my POOR white farmer owners… ..danmn white folk suck.
peace out nigga’
Cholaka
This poem represents truth in what African-Americans had to suffer through and endure. This poem promotes the strength of endurance and dreams coming to life. I am Caucasian and lived through desegration as a child. We were poor and lived in a predominitely black neiborhood. The children in the neighborhood were bussed to all white schools. I can remember getting on the bus and police had to guard our bus because the “white people” wanted a race war. It was terrifying. I can remember the feeling of relief of leaving on the bus and getting away from the hatred and violence that threatened the African children everyday. It is very heart wrenching to see a African student to be threatened and put down, not because of anything that he did but simply because of the color of his skin. To see the struggle in his eyes and the plea for peace and acceptance leaves you with a feeing of emptiness and pain. About halfway through the school year, there wasn’t a division of color anymore. The African children could walk through the halls in freedom and acceptance. There was peace after the storm and a breath of a new day.
ThisPoem had tears in my eyes this a veary beautyful poem .I am reading this poem for black history mounth
THIS IS WHAT I NEED. I AM THE MISTRESS OF CEREMONY AT CHURCH.. I CAN MAKE THIS COME ALIVE AGAIN. THE YOUNGER SET IS WHAT I POCUS ON. I AM GOING TO E-MAIL YOU ALL BACK TO TELL YOU MORE.
I frist saw this peom on the back of a Church bulletin
in 1970, I have held on to it every since. Every time I
read it,its as if it the frist time. If only children of today know what a proud people we are.
My first time reading this poem it was every special to me because Langston went to the same school as my parents did,I think everyone should read this poem and know that the struggle still go,s on. I plan on reading it and dressing has a elderly women as a young lady praise dance at a homeless shelter, I would like to thank my ancesters who paved the way so that I might be free!
I love this poem so much. When my daughter, whose now 24, was in the 6th grade, she and I learned this poem, she needed to recite it in a contest. Since then I try to get her to but she declines. So, I have taken to reciting it at my church, I dress as a elderly mother with hat gloves, cane, glassed and all. I become all that the poem is. Scary, (smile) my daughters think so. The crowd always seem to enjoy it.
I’ve repeated this poem durng many black history programs. I like the poem because it helps me to remember how my mother, Reba Shegog struggled to raise 6 children as a single parent. It futher helps me realize that my struggles are small compared to the mother in this poem. What’s even more shocking is that this negro mother is “real” and her struggles are “real”.
I feel the poem is simply awesome and powerful. It truly explains the trials from whence our forefathers and mothers came. I will be forever grateful for those that blazed the way for our freedom and equality.
I really like this poem it tells a true story about the Depression time.
This poem is so incredible! It it so provocative and breathtaking, at the same time. Langston Hughes was an incredible poet that managed to bring pride and dignity to Black people during a time where they must have felt anything but. This poem is a must-read for every African-American!
I love this poem , i will share this poem with tme members of my church. I love tihs poem…. Thank god for a person like you, I thank God for giving a person like you the mind of wisdom to be so created to think of these words that I feel truly express what a black woman feel while and when she work so hard…. Thank You
I love this poem because it explains how the blacks struggle wit life for 300 -500 years. Black women were determined not to let the whites keep her and her kids down.