Julia+&+Colin

Langston Hughes By  Julia Hartnett  and  Colin Emerson  Biography: James Langston Hughes was born and raised in Joplin, Missouri. He is currently dead, and he died on May 22, 1967 of prostate cancer. His childhood was tough, considering his parents divorced when he was very young, and his dad moved to Mexico. He lived with his grandmother until he was 13. After that he moved to Lincoln, Illinois where his mother and Langston’s step dad lived. They eventually settled in Cleveland Ohio, but Langston first started poetry in Lincoln. After graduation, he spent a year at Columbia University, and another in Mexico. During this span, he had jobs as: an assistant cook, a launderer, a sailor in Europe and Africa, and a busboy. Hughes never did get married, as most of his life was dedicated to poetry. He moved to Washington D.C. in November of 1924. Alfred A. Knopf published Hughes’ first book of poetry, __The Weary Blues__, in 1926. His first novel __Not Without Laughter__, won the Harmon gold medal of literature in 1930. Style and Influence: Langston Hughes had a very unique style and a huge influence on people around the world. Langston Hughes mostly wrote about black life, about the lives of the people he grew up around. He did not grow up in the nicest neighborhoods, nor did he have a very great life himself, and this caused his early work to be greatly disliked by Negro critics and intellectuals. It portrayed what they thought to be “an unattractive view of black life.” In his autobiography, the __Big Sea__, Hughes wrote that __Fine Clothes to the Jew__ was well liked by literary magazines and the white press, but Negro critics didn’t like it at all. One headline from the Pittsburg Courier read “LANGSTON HUGHES’ BOOK OF POEMS TRASH” But eventually people, including Negros, began to enjoy his poetry more. Langston Hughes has a very interesting style. He mostly writes freestyle, that is, his poetry doesn’t have a set pattern and doesn’t follow the “rules” of traditional poetry. Hughes’ poems do have patterns, but the patterns differ from poem to poem. Some of Hughes’ earliest influence was poems by Walt Whitman and Carl Sandburg, shown to him by an English teacher of his. It is not said why Hughes’ became a poet. He wrote his first poem in 8th grade and was named class poet and wrote all through high school as well. Perhaps it was because he had a lot to say, seeing as he did not have an easy life. Whatever the reason, I’m sure many, many people are grateful that Langston Hughes became a poet. Julia's poem: __Freedom__ What Is freedom? Doing What you want? Or just Not doing What others want? Thinking Anything? Or just Thinking Differently? Can you Speak your mind And not worry Over the result? Are you truly free If your body Is no longer caged But your mind Is still in chains? What does it take To be free? Colin's poem:  Segregation Most people are saddened Of the separation of people Just based on skin color

Some people embrace This thing we call Segregation

Most people are saddened Of the inequality of people Just based on skin color

Some people embrace The inferiority by race that is   Segregation

Most people are saddened Of trusting and welcoming people Just based on skin color

Some people embrace This practice that is called Segregation Life is Fine: I went down to the river, I set down on the bank. I tried to think but couldn't, So I jumped in and sank.

I came up once and hollered! I came up twice and cried! If that water hadn't a-been so cold I might've sunk and died.

But it was Cold in that water! It was cold!

I took the elevator Sixteen floors above the ground. I thought about my baby And thought I would jump down.

I stood there and I hollered! I stood there and I cried! If it hadn't a-been so high I might've jumped and died.

But it was High up there! It was high!

So since I'm still here livin', I guess I will live on. I could've died for love-- But for livin' I was born

Though you may hear me holler, And you may see me cry-- I'll be dogged, sweet baby, If you gonna see me die.

Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine!

Mother to Son: 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.