William Richards
web links on Langston Hughes gathered by William Richards
|
| Ancestory
poem
Some
said blacker is better . . .
Darker the flesh the deeper roots.
The essence of color complexion expresses your nationality.
Darkness will always remain on your soul, and on complexion.
So I wonder was this the idea of our ancestors?
Did they question their motives, before their engagemnt?
It is called LOVE.
Love is color blind, yet it is not what I see.
I see the pain and suffering on my skin, soul filled with pride,
yet
this will not get you anywhere.
In a sense it is like being a nomad,
Not knowing your home.
Our beauty is displayed on our skin, yet it does not promote us
to be productive beings, yet we get disturbed by the media.
I love the concept that I hold the best of the both worlds.
Yet in reality you are nothing but a NIGGER.
For that reason I will stand strong, and be mighty.
You are same person who goes to bed and
Wakes up.
I will hold my ancestor's dreams and mind
and march forward to the promise land.
Free at last, Free at last.
I will cherish this freedom, and take it to my heart!
|
|
| When
I was poor
looking everywhere for something to grub
I started to imagine every food I have loved
Dying . . . to confuse my hunger and mind I would imagine water
as food
Being a stick up kid,
I told myself
I am going to be filty rich in materialistically, and spiritually
By living the life of my fellow acquaintances
Being part of upper class
By living in White Eagle
Able to purchase more than my needs
Able to transend my wealth to my younger generation
As I drink the water my ambition grows stronger, and will to grow
deepens
|
|
| Do
you know a place
I know a place where gentle waves crest slowly over the sand
I know a place where seagulls love to hover over the dead carcus
of fish
I know a place where people work together as one
Do
you know a place
I know a place where tempature and humidity mingle together
I know a place where people love the ice cream man
I know a place where sleeping under a fan is an excitement
I know a place where flies lying on your skin do not bother you
Do
you know a place
I know know a place where you make sugar water for refreshment
I know a place where listening to stories and eating watermellon
and drinking coolaid is the excitment
I
know the place . . .
Do you know you place
|
|
| Monologue
Why do
we have faith?
Do we have faith because we are hopeless, or hopeful?
Maybe we need something to believe in?
What is
the point of government?
To govern, I suppose.
Question is, we say we are mature, but can't govern ourselves.
We got
money for war, but we lack the needy.
What is this world coming too?
We say Bush sucks, but do not appreciate his accomplishments.
We judge someone by the party?
Question is, who are we to judge?
We say
consciouness is bad, but is that not human?
WE think about others, but we care about our status first?
Is faith
overrated!
|
| Wat
up BOY?
Wats the deal?
You heard bout Tameka?
She became a runner!
It
is sad sista
does
not know her beauty
So
she violates herself for others
I ain't
hatin playboy
but u be making mad cheese
Hustlin...?! Damn G u be Ballin
It
is sad brothers
get
mezmerized by THUG
that
they are willing to lose their
integrity
It be christmas
my BoyZ be sharing
gifts, christmas be a holiday of hell,
we be scummy to relieve the stress
It
is sad there is lack of strong family
lost
youth leaning towards the street
To
search for the basic needs
|
| 2
Voices
Hey man
that was my food
Wat chu mean?
Hell nah why u be eating my food?
wat chu mean !?!
Man u are so bogas
I mean ...??...
U hearrd?
what!
Willis copted a new wip
What?!
Yea I heard it be Sick
WHAAAAT!
Dang he
fo na get PT
YES sir!
HE'll be clubbing soon!
YES sir
He be on tha pimp mode
YES SIR
DId you
see Shartesse
DAMn
She be looking Right
DAmn
SHe said, she be lookin' fo the one,
who be on a right track
DAMN
She don't be playin either she whooped on Markez
last year
DAMN!
You are
right she is ghetto and bogy
Damn
Hey man hmmm where would I be
DAMn
|
|
This is
for u
What do
you think?
I have made it
You always told me I couldn’t
I have
done nothing to you
I have always admired and looked up to you
All you gave me was put downs
When u said I couldn’t, I did it
I still have more to go
To be much better than you and others
I don’t
want your sake of forgiveness
I
want ur respect
I want to make you envious
I want to show I am a better man than you
I still have more to prove and go on
I will be the prosperous one
God will
be my counselor
God will be my witness
|
| Deer
As the gentle snow smothers the land
Cool warm breeze slowly take away my exhaling breath
I raise my head and search for hostility
Being in a wide open range where hunters and dogs are opponents
Me an my family look at every step we take
It is often hard to find the basic needs when the tree leaves and
Weather do not cooperate with each other
Every step I take leaves warm crisp firm footprints
It is my signature, but on other hand it is a clue
Only reinforcements I could apply are my speed and agilities
My young ones must grow stronger to avoid the traps.
Every moment I breathe my sense of observance grows increasingly.
|
I took this one is from same reference to Harlem by Langston Hughes
I enjoyed this one because it is realistic.
What is the American Dream
Is this a dream or from my imagination.
Who said there is a piece of dream for me?
Have all the people around me taken it?
Maybe it has neglected me?
Or maybe someone has just bullshitteded about it?
Is it suppose to be this bitter . . .
MAYBE IT AINT FOR US
MAYBE IT AINT FOR US
Or we don’t know how to direct ourselves??!
|
|
I took this in from the same format as "I too" by Langston Hughes.
I call it
I Do
I do love my country
I am a light skinned brother
They do appoint me a Negro
When they see me in public and my exterior projection is sign of black
I do get mad
And I do stand up tall
And I am willing to be great
Tomorrow
I will be greater
Greater than the day before
They will point fingers at me,
but one thing is for sure
I will be wiser, and stronger
Anyways
Sooner or later they will see how strong I am
And they will admire me
And they will respect me
I do love my country
|
|
This little ride I used same form as "Dream Boogie" by Langston Hughes
I call it
love making in summer!
(okay it is soft)
Storm rumbles as rain
Drip ... Drip ... Drip ... Drip ...
Rolling thunder
Quiet smile
Whispering ur insecurities
Smooth caressable body
Gentle silky feelin’ skins you have
On a body that is so golden
Sounds of resistance
Yet, it is desiring for more of me
Looking into your eyes
Filled with happiness
Kurummm, Roarmmmm, Rummarmm
As the storm slowly circles
Sudden laughter captures the moment
|
|
I have used Langston Hughes "Cross" in this poem. It is referred as past for mePast
My past is not perfect
My present is not perfect
I despise my past
I will live with it
I dislike like my present
I will live with it
(I am sorry for my regrets)
My past gave me a new perspective
My present gave me a will and ambition
I wonder, am I going to be prosperous?
Learning from the experience . . . will I conquer the future?
|
|
In this last poem I used children’s rime by Langston Hughes
I called it
Society’s View
What can I say
We must pay
I ain’t rich! . . . Hey, pay
I must got to be someone
For what . . . you are no one
What seem obvious distracts me
Extrinsically color is nothing to them
It bugs me
Intrinsically color is everything
Is there Racism?
Hey, your view is everything
Street is for us
Police is for us
We see pain and it is for us
Equality is an image for us
Obtaining the truth is not for us.
|