#AmericanWriters #BlackWriters
I would liken you To a night without stars Were it not for your eyes. I would liken you To a sleep without dreams
I work all day, Said Simple John, Myself a house to buy. I work all day, Said Simple John,
Gather quickly Out of darkness All the songs you know And throw them at the sun Before they melt
Big Boy came Carrying a mermaid On his shoulders And the mermaid Had her tail
Being walkers with the dawn and mo… Walkers with the sun and morning, We are not afraid of night, Nor days of gloom, Nor darkness—
I know I am The Negro Problem Being wined and dined, Answering the usual questions That come to white mind
Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams
I got to leave this town. It’s a lonesome place. Got to leave this town cause It’s a lonesome place. A po’, po’ boy can’t
'Me an’ ma baby’s Got two mo’ ways, Two mo’ ways to do de Charleston!… Da, da, Da, da, da!
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!
Now dreams Are not available To the dreamers, Nor songs To the singers.
Clean the spittoons, boy. Detroit, Chicago, Atlantic City, Palm Beach.
Children, I come back today To tell you a story of the long da… That I had to climb, that I had t… In order that the race might live… Look at my face —dark as the night…
The ivory gods, And the ebony gods, And the gods of diamond and jade, Sit silently on their temple shelv… While the people
Harlem Sent him home in a long box— Too dead To know why:
