CHAPTER

26
Three Poets in Depth: Emily Dickinson,
Robert Frost, and Langston Hghes
ON READING AUTHORS REPRESENTED IN DEPTH
!" yo ha#e read se#eral $orks by an athor, $hether tragedies by %hakespeare or detecti#e stories abot
%herlock Holmes by &rthr 'onan Doyle, yo kno$ that athors retrn again and again to certain themes
(tragedy "or %hakespeare, crime "or 'onan Doyle), yet each treatment is di""erent* Hamlet, Macbeth, and
Romeo and Juliet are all tragedies, and they all share certain +alities that $e think o" as %hakespearean,
yet each is highly distincti#e*
,hen $e read se#eral $orks by an athor, $e "ind orsel#es thinking abot resemblances and
di""erences* ,e en-oy seeing the athor retrn to some theme ("or instance, .od, or natre, or lo#e) or to
some literary "orm ("or instance, the sonnet, or blank #erse, or pairs o" rhyming lines)/ and $e may "ind,
to or delight, that the athor has handled things di""erently and that $e are getting a sense o" the $riter0s
#ariety and perhaps e#en o" the $riter0s de#elopment* !ndeed, $e sometimes speak o" the shape or design
o" the athor0s career, meaning that or care"l stdy o" the $ritings has led s to an nderstanding o" the
story1$ith its beginning, middle, and end1that the $ritings tell across a period o" time* 2"ten, once $e
read one poem by an athor and "ind it intriging or compelling, $e $ant to read more: &re there other
poems like this one3 ,hat kinds o" poems $ere $ritten be"ore or a"ter this one3 2r en-oyment and
nderstanding o" one poem helps s to en-oy and nderstand others, and makes s crios abot the place
that each one occpies in a larger strctre, the shape o" the athor0s career*
,e can go "rther and say that the reading o" a second athor can help s1perhaps by $ay o"
contrast1to nderstand the "irst* !n the pre"ace to one o" his #olmes o" poetry, Robert Frost pt it this
$ay:
& poem is best read in the light o" all the other poems e#er $ritten* ,e read & the better to read 4
($e ha#e to start some$here/ $e may get #ery little ot o" &)* ,e read 4 the better to read ', '
the better to read D, D the better to go back and get something more ot o" &* Progress is not the
aim, bt circlation* The thing is to get among the poems $here they hold each other apart in
their places as the stars do*
!n an !ntrodction to Literatre corse, althogh yo0ll o"ten be asked to $rite analytical papers abot
a single poem, story, or play, sometimes yo0ll be assigned a paper that re+ires a comparison and contrast
o", "or e5ample, t$o poems by di""erent athors* Less "re+ent perhaps, bt e+ally important, is the paper
that e5amines a central theme or idea as it is e5pressed and e5plored in three or more $orks*
&t "irst this might seem a danting task, bt there are help"l $ays o" getting in control o" the
assignment* 2ne o" the best is to begin $ith a single $ork and then to mo#e ot$ard "rom it, making
connections to $orks that sho$ interesting similarities to, or di""erences "rom, it*
2ne o" or stdents, 6ark 4radley, $as assigned to $rite on a theme ($hich he had to de"ine himsel")
in a selection o" poems by Langston Hghes* 6ark started by closely stdying a poem by Hghes that had
caght his attention $hen he made his $ay throgh the grop o" poems "or the "irst time* !n one o" his
-ornal entries, 6ark $rote:
The poem 7The %oth7 srprised me* !t $asn8t $hat ! e5pected* ! thoght Hghes $old attack the
%oth "or being so racist99he $rote the poem in the :;2<s, $hen segregation $as e#ery$here in the
%oth* He says some togh st"" abot the %oth, that8s "or sre: 74east strong, = !diot9brained*7 4t
he also says that the %oth is attracti#e in some $ays, and !8m not con#inced that $hen he brings in
the >orth at the end, he really belie#es that the >orth is sperior*
!ntriged by this poem, 6ark made it his point o" departre "or the thematic paper he $as assigned*
He -dged that i" he $orked intensi#ely on this poem and came to kno$ it $ell, he cold re#ie$ other
Hghes poems and see ho$ they $ere both like and nlike the poem $ith $hich he began*
,hen yo $rite an essay on se#eral $orks, keep t$o points especially in mind: the length o" the
assignment, and the choice o" e5amples* ?o $ant to treat the right nmber o" e5amples "or the space yo
are gi#en, and, "rthermore, to pro#ide s""icient detail in yor analysis o" each o" them* ?o might call
this the principle o" proportion*
Preparing an otline can be #alable* !t $ill lead yo to think care"lly abot $hich e5amples yo
ha#e selected "or yor argment and the main idea abot each one that yo $ill present* ?o might begin
by e5amining one poem in depth, and then proceed to relate it to key passages in other poems* 2r maybe
yo0ll "ind one passage in a poem so signi"icant that it1rather than the poem in its entirety1can ser#e as
a good beginning* ,hiche#er strategy yo choose, $hen yo re#ie$ the rogh dra"t, se a pen to mark o""
the amont o" space that yo ha#e de#oted to each e5ample* &sk yorsel":
@ 9!s this e5ample clearly connected to my argment in the paper as a $hole3
@ 9Ha#e ! not only re"erred to the e5ample bt also pro#ided ade+ate +otation "rom it3
@ 9Ha#e ! made certain to comment on the passage3 (Remember that passages do not interpret
themsel#es* ?o ha#e to e5plicate and e5plain them*)
@ 9Has each e5ample recei#ed its de3
There is no easy rle o" thmb "or kno$ing ho$ mch space each e5ample shold be gi#en* %ome
passages are more complicated than others/ some demand more intensi#e scrtiny* 4t yo0ll be $ell on
the $ay to$ard handling this aspect o" the paper e""ecti#ely i" yo are sel"9a$are abot yor choices, alert
to the principle o" proportion*
EMILY DICKINSON
Emily Dickinson (1830188!" #as bo$n into a p$ope$ %e# England &amily in 'mhe$st, Massachusetts(
'lthough she spent he$ se)enteenth yea$ a &e# miles a#ay, at Mount Holyoke *emina$y (no# Mount
Holyoke +ollege", in the ne,t t#enty yea$s she le&t 'mhe$st only &i)e o$ si, times, and in he$ last t#enty
yea$s she may ne)e$ ha)e le&t he$ house( He$ b$othe$ #as p$obably $ight #hen he said that ha)ing seen
something o& the $est o& the #o$ld-she had )isited .ashington #ith he$ &athe$, #hen he #as a membe$ o&
+ong$ess-/she could not $esist the &eeling that it #as pain&ully hollo#( 0t #as to he$ so thin and
unsatis&ying in the &ace o& the 1$eat Realities o& 2i&e(3
Dickinson li)ed #ith he$ pa$ents (a some#hat $eclusi)e mothe$ and an auste$e, $emote &athe$" and a
younge$ siste$4 a ma$$ied b$othe$ li)ed in the house ne,t doo$( *he &o$med some passionate attachments,
to #omen as #ell as men, but the$e is no e)idence that they &ound physical e,p$ession(
5y the age o& t#el)e Dickinson #as #$iting #itty lette$s, but she appa$ently did not #$ite mo$e than
an occasional poem be&o$e he$ late t#enties( 't he$ death-she died in the house #he$e she #as bo$n-
she le&t 1,667 poems, only se)en o& #hich had been published (anonymously" du$ing he$ li&etime(
.e begin this section #ith si,teen poems by Dickinson( %e,t, #e p$esent a se)enteenth poem, /0 8elt
a 8une$al, in my 5$ain,3 in multiple )e$sions9 the poem as #e kno# it today4 the poem in manusc$ipt4
and the poem in its &i$st published )e$sion( :hen, t#o mo$e poems, #hich a$e simila$ in ph$asing to one
anothe$ and sho# an a&&inity to /0 8elt a 8une$al, in my 5$ain(3 .e conclude #ith th$ee o& Dickinson;s
lette$s about poet$y(
These are the days when Birds come back [1859]
These are the days $hen 4irds come back1
& #ery "e$1a 4ird or t$o1
To take a back$ard look* A
These are days $hen skies resme
The old1old sophistriesB o" Cne1
& ble and gold mistake* 6
2 "rad that cannot cheat the 4ee1
&lmost thy plasibility
!ndces my belie"* ;
Till ranks o" seeds their $itness bear1
&nd so"tly thro0 the altered air
Hrries a timid lea"* :2
2h %acrament o" smmer days,
2h Last 'ommnion in the HaDe1
Permit a child to -oin* :E
Thy sacred emblems to partake1
Thy consecrated bread to take
&nd thine immortal $ineF :G
Papa above! [c. 1859]
Papa abo#eF
Regard a 6ose
20erpo$ered by the 'atF
Reser#e $ithin thy kingdom
& H6ansionI "or the RatF E
%ng in seraphic 'pboards
To nibble all the day,
,hile nsspecting 'yclesB
,heel solemnly a$ayF
Wid !i"hts#Wid !i"hts! [18$1]
,ild >ights1,ild >ightsF
,ere ! $ith thee
,ild >ights shold be
2r l5ryF J
Ftile1the ,inds1
To a Heart in port1
Done $ith the 'ompass1
Done $ith the 'hartF G
Ro$ing in Eden1
&h, the %eaF
6ight ! bt moor1Tonight1
!n TheeF :2
There%s a certain &ant o' i"ht [c. 18$1]
There0s a certain %lant o" light,
,inter &"ternoons1
That oppresses, like the He"tB
2" 'athedral Tnes1 J
Hea#enly Hrt, it gi#es s1
,e can "ind no scar,
4t internal di""erence,
,here the 6eanings, are1 G
>one may teach it1&ny1
0Tis the %eal Despair1
&n imperial a""liction
%ent s o" the &ir1 :2
,hen it comes, the Landscape listens1
%hado$s1hold their breath1
,hen it goes, 0tis like the Distance
2n the look o" Death1 :6
( "ot so ( co)d hear his name#[18$1]
! got so ! cold hear his name1
,ithot1Tremendos gain1
That %top9sensation1on my %ol1
&nd Thnder1in the Room1 J
! got so ! cold $alk across
That &ngle in the "loor,
,here he trned so, and ! trned1ho$1
&nd all or %ine$ tore1 G
! got so ! cold stir the 4o51
!n $hich his letters gre$
,ithot that "orcing, in my breath1
&s %taples1dri#en throgh1 :2
'old dimly recollect a .race1
! think, they call it H.odI1
Reno$ned to ease E5tremity1
,hen Formla, had "ailed1 :6
&nd shape my Hands1
Petition0s $ay,
Tho0 ignorant o" a $ord
That 2rdinationB1tters1 2<
6y 4siness, $ith the 'lod,
!" any Po$er behind it, be,
>ot sb-ect to Despair1
!t care, in some remoter $ay, 2J
For so minte a""air
&s 6isery1
!tsel", too great, "or interrpting1more1
The &o) seects her own &ociety [18$*]
The %ol selects her o$n %ociety1
Then1shts the Door1
To her di#ine 6a-ority1
Present no more1 J
Knmo#ed1she notes the 'hariots1pasing1
&t her lo$ .ate1
Knmo#ed1an Emperor be kneeling
Kpon her 6at1 G
!0#e kno$n her1"rom an ample nation1
'hoose 2ne1
Then1close the Lal#esB o" her attention1
Like %tone1 :2
This was a Poet#(t is That [18$*]
This $as a Poet1!t is That
Distills amaDing sense
From 2rdinary 6eanings1
&nd &ttar so immense J
From the "amiliar species
That perished by the Door1
,e $onder it $as not 2rsel#es
&rrested it1be"ore1 G
2" Pictres, the Discloser1
The Poet1it is He1
Entitles Ks1by 'ontrast1
To ceaseless Po#erty1 :2
2" Portion1so nconscios1
The Robbing1cold not harm1
Himsel"1to Him1a Fortne1
E5terior1to Time1 :6
( heard a +y b),,#when ( died [18$*]
! heard a Fly bDD1$hen ! died1
The %tillness in the Room
,as like the %tillness in the &ir1
4et$een the Hea#es o" %torm1 J
The Eyes arond1had $rng them dry1
&nd 4reaths $ere gathering "irm
For the last 2nset1$hen the Ming
4e $itnessed1in the Room1 G
! $illed my Meepsakes1%igned a$ay
,hat portion o" me be
&ssignable1and then it $as
There interposed a Fly1 :2
,ith 4le1ncertain stmbling 4DD1
4et$een the light1and me1
&nd then the ,indo$s "ailed1and then
! cold not see to see1 :6
This Word is not -onc)sion [c. 18$*]
This ,orld is not 'onclsion*
& %pecies stands beyond1
!n#isible, as 6sic1
4t positi#e, as %ond1 J
!t beckons, and it ba""les1
Philosophy1don0t kno$1
&nd throgh a Riddle, at the last1
%agacity, mst go1 G
To gess it, pDDles scholars1
To gain it, 6en ha#e borne
'ontempt o" .enerations
&nd 'rci"i5ion, sho$n1 :2
Faith slips1and laghs, and rallies1
4lshes, i" any see1
Plcks at a t$ig o" E#idence1
&nd asks a Lane, the $ay1 :6
6ch .estre, "rom the Plpit1
%trong Hallel-ahs roll1
>arcotics cannot still the Tooth
That nibbles at the sol1 2<
( ike to see it ap the .ies [18$*]
! like to see it lap the 6iles1
&nd lick the Lalleys p1
&nd stop to "eed itsel" at Tanks1
&nd then1prodigios step J
&rond a Pile o" 6ontains1
&nd spercilios peer
!n %hanties1by the sides o" Roads1
&nd then a Narry pare G
To "it its Ribs
&nd cra$l bet$een
'omplaining all the $hile
!n horrid1hooting stanDa1 :2
Then chase itsel" do$n Hill1
&nd neigh like 4oanergesB
Then1pnctal as a %tar
%top1docile and omnipotent :6
&t its o$n stable door1
/ narrow +eow in the 0rass [c. 18$5]
& narro$ Fello$ in the .rass
2ccasionally rides1
?o may ha#e met Him1did yo not
His notice sdden is1 J
The .rass di#ides as $ith a 'omb1
& spotted sha"t is seen1
&nd then it closes at yor "eet
&nd opens "rther on1 G
He likes a 4oggy &cre
& Floor too cool "or 'orn1
?et $hen a 4oy, and 4are"oot1
! more than once at >oon :2
Ha#e passed, ! thoght, a ,hip lash
Knbraiding in the %n
,hen stopping to secre it
!t $rinkled, and $as gone1 :6
%e#eral o" >atre0s People
! kno$, and they kno$ me1
! "eel "or them a transport
2" cordiality1 2<
4t ne#er met this Fello$
&ttended, or alone
,ithot a tighter breathing
&nd Oero at the 4one1 2J
+)rther in &)mmer than the Birds [18$$]
Frther in %mmer than the 4irds
Pathetic "rom the .rass
& minor >ation celebrates
!ts nobtrsi#e 6ass* J
>o 2rdinanceB be seen
%o gradal the .race
& pensi#e 'stom it becomes
Enlarging Loneliness* G
&nti+est "elt at >oon
,hen &gst brning lo$
&rise this spectral 'anticleB
Repose to typi"y :2
Remit as yet no .race
>o Frro$ on the .lo$
?et a DridicB Di""erence
Enhances >atre no$ :6
Te a the Tr)th b)t te it sant [c. 18$8]
Tell all the Trth bt tell it slant1
%ccess in 'ircit lies
Too bright "or or in"irm Delight
The Trth0s sperb srprise J
&s Lightning to the 'hildren eased
,ith e5planation kind
The Trth mst daDDle gradally
2r e#ery man be blind1 G
/ 1o)te o' 2vanescence3[c. 1849]
& Rote o" E#anescence
,ith a re#ol#ing ,heel1
& Resonance o" Emerald1
& Rsh o" 'ochinealB J
&nd e#ery 4lossom on the 4sh
&d-sts its tmbled Head1
The mail "rom Tnis,B probably,
&n easy 6orning0s Ride1 G
Those#dyin"5 then [188*]
Those1dying, then
Mne$ $here they $ent
They $ent to .od0s Right Hand1
The Hand is amptated no$ J
&nd .od cannot be "ond1
The abdication o" 4elie"
6akes the 4eha#ior small1
4etter an ignis "atsB G
Than no illme at all1
/pparenty with no s)rprise [c. 1886]
&pparently $ith no srprise
To any happy Flo$er
The Frost beheads it at its play1
!n accidental po$er1 J
The blonde &ssassin passes on1
The %n proceeds nmo#ed
To measre o"" another Day
For an &ppro#ing .od* G
,e reprint here and on the ne5t page Dickinson0s manscript "or H! "elt a Fneral, in my 4rain,I and
$e "ollo$ it $ith the #ersion o" the poem as $e kno$ it today, $here it is P2G< in :he +omplete <oems o&
Emily Dickinson, ed* Thomas H* Cohnson (4oston: Little, 4ro$n, :;EQ)* This edition "ollo$s the te5t that
Cohnson presented in his three9#olme scholarly edition, :he <oems o& Emily Dickinson ('ambridge:
Har#ard KP, :;EE)* Cohnson proposes a date o" sometime in :G6: "or this poem, bt the editor o" a ne$
scholarly edition, :he <oems o& Emily Dickinson9 Lariorm Edition, A #ols* ('ambridge: Har#ard KP,
:;;G), R* ,* Franklin, $hile agreeing $ith Cohnson0s #ersion o" the poem, sggests a date o" smmer
:G62*
( 'et a +)nera5 in my Brain [18$1 or 18$*]
! "elt a Fneral, in my 4rain,
&nd 6orners to and "ro
Mept treading1treading1till it seemed
That %ense $as breaking throgh1 J
&nd $hen they all $ere seated,
& %er#ice, like a Drm1
Mept beating1beating1till ! thoght
6y 6ind $as going nmb1 G
&nd then ! heard them li"t a 4o5
&nd creak across my %ol
,ith those same 4oots o" Lead, again,
Then %pace1began to toll, :2
&s all the Hea#ens $ere a 4ell,
&nd 4eing, bt an Ear,
&nd !, and %ilence, some strange Race
,recked, solitary, here1 :6
&nd then a Plank in Reason, broke,
&nd ! dropped do$n, and do$n1
&nd hit a ,orld, at e#ery plnge,
&nd Finished kno$ing1then1 2<
Pages ;2ER;26 reprodce the poem as it appears in Dickinson0s o$n hand* 2r copy is taken "rom
:he Manusc$ipt 5ooks o& Emily Dickinson, edited by R* ,* Franklin and pblished in :;G:* Like nearly
all o" Dickinson0s poems, this one $as not pblished in her li"etime* %he $rote her poems on sheets o"
letter paper, $hich she then bond together $ith string into packets* Perhaps these personal manscript
books or H"asciclesI (that is, a small bndle, or the di#isions o" a book pblished in parts) represented "or
Dickinson a "orm o" pblication1thogh a #ery pri#ate one*
>otice that in line :<, Dickinson $rote H4rain,I bt then crossed it ot and selected the $ord H%olI
instead* >otice also that in manscript, the poem concldes $ith a line not in the poem, bt that seems to
gi#e alternati#es "or $ords in lines :; and 2<* Re"er to the poem as $e kno$ it (pages ;26R;2Q) to see
ho$ Thomas Cohnson has $orked "rom the manscript to make his choices abot ho$ the poem shold
read*
!n her $ill Dickinson stiplated that pon her death, her papers and letters shold be brned* Her
sister La#inia, ho$e#er, $ho disco#ered the poems, decided that her sister0s re+est did not inclde them,
and she soon became determined to see the poems pblished* This task $as taken p by 6abel Loomis
Todd (:GE6R:;A2), $ho $as a "riend o" Dickinson0s1and the lo#er o" &stin Dickinson, Emily0s older
(and already married) brother* ,ith help "rom the critic and man9o"9letters Thomas ,ent$orth Higginson,
Todd edited t$o series o" Dickinson0s poems (:G;<, :G;:), and then edited a third series (:G;6) and the
2ette$s o& Emily Dickinson (2 #ols*, :;GJ) hersel"* 4oth Todd and Higginson remo#ed many o" the boldly
original "eatres o" the poems0 langage, strctre, and pnctation* They soght to make Dickinson more
con#entional, more like other poets o" the age* This, in their #ie$, $as the best $ay to make her less
di""iclt and hence more accessible to readers* 4t the reslt $as that they eliminated the daring, brilliant
inno#ations that make Dickinson e5traordinary* This "irst pblished #ersion o" H! Felt a Fneral, in my
4rainI is taken "rom <oems by Emily Dickinson, third series (4oston: Little, 4ro$n, :G;6)*
! "elt a "neral in my brain,
&nd morners, to and "ro,
Mept treading, treading, till it seemed
That sense $as breaking throgh* J
&nd $hen they all $ere seated,
& ser#ice like a drm
Mept beating, beating, till ! thoght
6y mind $as going nmb* G
&nd then ! heard them li"t a bo5,
&nd creak across my sol
,ith those same boots o" lead, again*
Then space began to toll :2
&s all the hea#ens $ere a bell,
&nd 4eing bt an ear,
&nd ! and silence some strange race,
,recked, solitary, here* :6
Here are t$o more poems, similar to one another and some$hat similar to H! "elt a Fneral, in my
4rain*I Thomas Cohnson dates the "irst one as ha#ing been $ritten in :G6J, and the second in the
"ollo$ing year* The second, Cohnson e5plains, is not so mch a separate poem as a #ariant on the "irst, a
#ariant that Dickinson probably sent to her sister9in9la$ %san .ilbert Dickinson, $ho $as married to
Dickinson0s brother &stin* !n his more recent edition, R* ,* Franklin says more "irmly that the "irst poem
$as $ritten in early :G6J and that, $ithot address or signatre, Dickinson sent a #ersion o" its second
stanDa to %san*
( 'et a -eavin" in my .ind# [18$6]
! "elt a 'lea#ing in my 6ind1
&s i" my 4rain had split1
! tried to match it1%eam by %eam1
4t cold not make them "it* J
The thoght behind, ! stro#e to -oin
Knto the thoght be"ore1
4t %e+ence ra#elled ot o" %ond
Like 4alls1pon a Floor* G
The 7)st behind ( strove to 8oin [18$5]
The Dst behind ! stro#e to -oin
Knto the Dst be"ore1
4t %e+ence ra#elled ot o" %ond
Like 4alls pon a Floor1 J
LETTERS ABOUT POETRY
,e inclde three o" Dickinson0s letters, the "irst o" $hich is addressed to %san .ilbert, probably her
dearest "riend and the $i"e o" Dickinson0s brother, &stin* The t$o other letters are addressed to Thomas
,ent$orth Higginson, a $riter and leading abolitionist* &"ter reading in 'tlantic Monthly (&pril :G62)
Higginson0s article o""ering ad#ice to yong athors, Dickinson (A: at the time) sent Higginson some o"
her poems along $ith a letter, and a correspondence ensed, lasting ntil Dickinson0s death*
To &)san 0ibert 97ickinson: [ate /pri 185*]
%o s$eet and still, and Thee, 2h %sie, $hat need ! more, to make my hea#en $hole3
%$eet Hor, blessed Hor, to carry me to yo, and to bring yo back to me, long enogh to snatch
one kiss, and $hisper .ood bye, again*
! ha#e thoght o" it all day, %sie, and ! "ear o" bt little else, and $hen ! $as gone to meeting it
"illed my mind so "ll, ! cold not "ind a chink to pt the $orthy pastor/ $hen he said H2r Hea#enly
Father,I ! said H2h Darling %eI/ $hen he read the :<<
th
Psalm, ! kept saying yor precios letter all
o#er to mysel", and %sie, $hen they sang1it $old ha#e made yo lagh to hear one little #oice,
piping to the departed* ! made p $ords and kept singing ho$ ! lo#ed yo, and yo had gone, $hile
all the rest o" the choir $ere singing Hallel-ahs* ! presme nobody heard me, becase ! sang so
small, bt it $as a kind o" a com"ort to think ! might pt them ot, singing o" yo* ! a0nt there this
a"ternoon, tho0, becase ! am here, $riting a little letter to my dear %e, and ! am #ery happy* ! think
o" ten $eeks1Dear 2ne, and ! think o" lo#e, and yo, and my heart gro$s "ll and $arm, and my
breath stands still* The sn does0nt shine at all, bt ! can "eel a snshine stealing into my sol and
making it all smmer, and e#ery thorn, a $ose( &nd ! pray that sch smmer0s sn shine on my
&bsent 2ne, and case her bird to singF
?o ha#e been happy, %sie, and no$ are sad1and the $hole $orld seems lone/ bt it $ont be so
al$ays, Hsome days must be dark and drearyIF ?o $ont cry any more, $ill yo, %sie, "or my "ather
$ill be yor "ather, and my home $ill be yor home, and $here yo go, ! $ill go, and $e $ill lie side
by side in the kirkyard*
! ha#e parents on earth, dear %sie, bt yor0s are in the skies, and ! ha#e an earthly "ireside, bt
yo ha#e one abo#e, and yo ha#e a HFather in Hea#en,I $here ! ha#e none1and siste$ in hea#en,
and ! kno$ they lo#e yo dearly, and think o" yo e#ery day*
2h ! $ish ! had hal" so many dear "riends as yo in hea#en1! coldn0t spare them no$1bt to
kno$ they had got there sa"ely, and shold s""er ne#ermore1Dear %sieF * * *
Emilie1
To T. W. ;i""inson [*5 /pri 18$*]
6r Higginson,
?or kindness claimed earlier gratitde1bt ! $as ill1and $rite today, "rom my pillo$*
Thank yo "or the srgery:1it $as not so pain"l as ! spposed* ! bring yo others1as yo ask
1thogh they might not di""er1
,hile my thoght is ndressed1! can make the distinction, bt $hen ! pt them in the .o$n1
they look alike, and nmb*
?o asked ho$ old ! $as3 ! made no #erse1bt one or t$o1ntil this $inter1%ir1
! had a terror1since %eptember1! cold tell to none1and so ! sing, as the 4oy does by the
4rying .rond1becase ! am a"raid1?o in+ire my 4ooks1For Poets1! ha#e Meats1and 6r
and 6rs 4ro$ning* For Prose16r Rskin1%ir Thomas 4ro$ne1and the Re#elations*2 ! $ent to
school1bt in yor manner o" the phrase1had no edcation* ,hen a little .irl, ! had a "riend, $ho
taght me !mmortality1bt #entring too near, himsel"1he ne#er retrned1%oon a"ter, my Ttor,
died1and "or se#eral years, my Le5icon1$as my only companion1Then ! "ond one more1bt he
$as not contented ! be his scholar1so he le"t the Land*
?o ask o" my 'ompanions Hills1%ir1and the %ndo$n1and a Dog1large as mysel", that my
Father boght me1They are better than 4eings1becase they kno$1bt do not tell1and the noise
in the Pool, at >oon1e5cels my Piano* ! ha#e a 4rother and %ister16y 6other does not care "or
thoght1and Father, too bsy $ith his 4rie"sA1to notice $hat $e do1He bys me many 4ooks1
bt begs me not to read them1becase he "ears they -oggle the 6ind* They are religios1e5cept me
1and address an Eclipse, e#ery morning1$hom they call their HFather*I 4t ! "ear my story "atiges
yo1! $old like to learn1'old yo tell me ho$ to gro$1or is it ncon#eyed1like 6elody1or
,itchcra"t3
?o speak o" 6r ,hitman1! ne#er read his 4ookJ1bt $as told that he $as disgrace"l1
! read 6iss Prescott0s H'ircmstance,IE bt it "ollo$ed me, in the Dark1so ! a#oided her1
T$o Editors o" Cornals came to my Father0s Hose, this $inter1and asked me "or my 6ind1
and $hen ! asked them H,hy,I they said ! $as penrios1and they, $old se it "or the ,orld1
! cold not $eigh mysel"16ysel"1
6y siDe "elt small1to me1! read yor 'hapters in the &tlantic1and e5perienced honor "or yo
1! $as sre yo $old not re-ect a con"iding +estion1
!s this1%ir1$hat yo asked me to tell yo3
?or "riend,
E1Dickinson*
To T. W. ;i""inson [184$]
>atre is a Hanted Hose1bt &rt1a Hose that tries to be hanted*
1obert +rost
Robe$t 8$ost (186=1>!3" #as bo$n in +ali&o$nia( '&te$ his &athe$;s death in 1887, 8$ost;s mothe$ b$ought
the &amily to %e# England, #he$e she taught in high schools in Massachusetts and %e# Hampshi$e( 8$ost
studied &o$ pa$t o& one te$m at Da$tmouth +ollege in %e# Hampshi$e, then did odd ?obs (including
teaching", and &$om 18>6 to 18>> #as en$olled as a special student at Ha$)a$d( He then &a$med in %e#
Hampshi$e, published a &e# poems in local ne#spape$s, le&t the &a$m and taught again, and in 1>1@ le&t
&o$ England, #he$e he hoped to achie)e mo$e popula$ success as a #$ite$( 5y 1>17 he had #on a
conside$able $eputation, and he $etu$ned to the Anited *tates, settling on a &a$m in %e# Hampshi$e and
culti)ating the image o& the count$yB#ise &a$me$Bpoet( 0n &act he #as #ell $ead in the classics, the 5ible,
and English and 'me$ican lite$atu$e(
'mong 8$ost;s many comments about lite$atu$e, he$e a$e th$ee9 /.$iting is unbo$ing to the e,tent
that it is d$amatic34 /E)e$y poem is ( ( ( a &igu$e o& the #ill b$a)ing alien entanglements34 and, &inally, a
poem /begins in delight and ends in #isdom( ( ( ( 0t $uns a cou$se o& lucky e)ents, and ends in a
cla$i&ication o& li&e-not necessa$ily a g$eat cla$i&ication, such as sects and cults a$e &ounded on, but in a
momenta$y stay against con&usion(3
'nd &o$ good measu$e, he$e is 8$ost, in a lette$, #$iting about his o#n #o$k(
Cou get mo$e c$edit &o$ thinking i& you $estate &o$mulae o$ cite cases that &all in easily unde$
&o$mulae, but all the &un is outsideD,E saying things that suggest &o$mulae that #on;t &o$mulate-
that almost but don;t Fuite &o$mulate( 0 should like to be so subtle at this game as to seem to the
casual pe$son altogethe$ ob)ious( :he casual pe$son #ould assume 0 meant nothing o$ else 0
came nea$ enough meaning something he #as &amilia$ #ith to mean it &o$ all p$actical pu$poses(
.ell, #ell, #ell(
.e gi)e &i&teen o& 8$ost;s poems, a$$anged in ch$onological o$de$, and #e &ollo# these poems #ith
some o& 8$ost;s comments about poet$y( :he &i$st poem, /:he <astu$e,3 is one that 8$ost customa$ily put
at the beginning o& his collected poems( :he last #o$ds o& each stanGa, /Cou come too,3 a$e an in)itation
to the $eade$ to ?oin him(
The Past)re [191<]
!0m going ot to clean the pastre spring/
!0ll only stop to rake the lea#es a$ay
(&nd $ait to $atch the $ater clear, ! may):
! shan0t be gone long*1?o come too* J
!0m going ot to "etch the little cal"
That0s standing by the mother* !t0s so yong,
!t totters $hen she licks it $ith her tonge*
! shan0t be gone long*1?o come too* G
.endin" Wa [1916]
%omething there is that doesn0t lo#e a $all,
That sends the "roDen9grond9s$ell nder it,
&nd spills the pper bolder in the sn/
&nd makes gaps e#en t$o can pass abreast*
The $ork o" hnters is another thing: E
! ha#e come a"ter them and made repair
,here they ha#e le"t not one stone on a stone,
4t they $old ha#e the rabbit ot o" hiding,
To please the yelping dogs* The gaps ! mean,
>o one has seen them made or heard them made, :<
4t at spring mending9time $e "ind them there*
! let my neighbor kno$ beyond the hill/
&nd on a day $e meet to $alk the line
&nd set the $all bet$een s once again*
,e keep the $all bet$een s as $e go* :E
To each the bolders that ha#e "allen to each*
&nd some are loa#es and some so nearly balls
,e ha#e to se a spell to make them balance:
H%tay $here yo are ntil or backs are trnedFI
,e $ear or "ingers rogh $ith handling them* 2<
2h, -st another kind o" otdoor game,
2ne on a side* !t comes to little more:
There $here it is $e do not need the $all:
He is all pine and ! am apple orchard*
6y apple trees $ill ne#er get across 2E
&nd eat the cones nder his pines, ! tell him*
He only says, H.ood "ences make good neighbors*I
%pring is the mischie" in me, and ! $onder
!" ! cold pt a notion in his head:
H.hy do they make good neighbors3 !sn0t it A<
,here there are co$s3 4t here there are no co$s*
4e"ore ! bilt a $all !0d ask to kno$
,hat ! $as $alling in or $alling ot,
&nd to $hom ! $as like to gi#e o""ence*
%omething there is that doesn0t lo#e a $all, AE
That $ants it do$n*I ! cold say HEl#esI to him,
4t it0s not el#es e5actly, and !0d rather
He said it "or himsel"* ! see him there
4ringing a stone grasped "irmly by the top
!n each hand, like an old9stone sa#age armed* J<
He mo#es in darkness as it seems to me,
>ot o" $oods only and the shade o" trees*
He $ill not go behind his "ather0s saying,
&nd he likes ha#ing thoght o" it so $ell
He says again, H.ood "ences make good neighbors*I JE
The Wood=Pie [1916]
2t $alking in the "roDen s$amp one grey day,
! pased and said, H! $ill trn back "rom here*
>o, ! $ill go on "arther1and $e shall see*I
The hard sno$ held me, sa#e $here no$ and then
2ne "oot $ent throgh* The #ie$ $as all in lines E
%traight p and do$n o" tall slim trees
Too mch alike to mark or name a place by
%o as to say "or certain ! $as here
2r some$here else: ! $as -st "ar "rom home*
& small bird "le$ be"ore me* He $as care"l :<
To pt a tree bet$een s $hen he lighted,
&nd say no $ord to tell me $ho he $as
,ho $as so "oolish as to think $hat he thoght*
He thoght that ! $as a"ter him "or a "eather1
The $hite one in his tail/ like one $ho takes :E
E#erything said as personal to himsel"*
2ne "light ot side$ays $old ha#e ndecei#ed him*
&nd then there $as a pile o" $ood "or $hich
! "orgot him and let his little "ear
'arry him o"" the $ay ! might ha#e gone, 2<
,ithot so mch as $ishing him good9night*
He $ent behind it to make his last stand*
!t $as a cord o" maple, ct and split
&nd piled1and measred, "or by "or by eight*
&nd not another like it cold ! see* 2E
>o rnner tracks in this year0s sno$ looped near it*
&nd it $as older sre than this year0s ctting,
2r e#en last year0s or the year0s be"ore*
The $ood $as grey and the bark $arping o"" it
&nd the pile some$hat snken* 'lematis A<
Had $ond strings rond and rond it like a bndle*
,hat held it thogh on one side $as a tree
%till gro$ing, and on one a stake and prop,
These latter abot to "all* ! thoght that only
%omeone $ho li#ed in trning to "resh tasks AE
'old so "orget his handi$ork on $hich
He spent himsel", the labor o" his a5e,
&nd lea#e it there "ar "rom a se"l "ireplace
To $arm the "roDen s$amps as best it cold
,ith the slo$ smokeless brning o" decay* J<
The 1oad !ot Taken [191$]
T$o roads di#erged in a yello$ $ood,
&nd sorry ! cold not tra#el both
&nd be one tra#eler, long ! stood
&nd looked do$n one as "ar as ! cold
To $here it bent in the ndergro$th/ E
Then took the other, as -st as "air,
&nd ha#ing perhaps the better claim,
4ecase it $as grassy and $anted $ear/
Thogh as "or that the passing there
Had $orn them really abot the same, :<
&nd both that morning e+ally lay
!n lea#es no step had trodden black*
2h, ! kept the "irst "or another dayF
?et kno$ing ho$ $ay leads on to $ay,
! dobted i" ! shold e#er come back* :E
! shall be telling this $ith a sigh
%ome$here ages and ages hence:
T$o roads di#erged in a $ood, and !1
! took the one less tra#eled by,
&nd that has made all the di""erence* 2<
The Teephone [191$]
H,hen ! $as -st as "ar as ! cold $alk
From here to9day
There $as an hor
&ll still
,hen leaning $ith my head against a "lo$er E
! heard yo talk*
Don0t say ! didn0t, "or ! heard yo say1
?o spoke "rom that "lo$er on the $indo$ sill1
Do yo remember $hat it $as yo said3I
HFirst tell me $hat it $as yo thoght yo heard*I :<
HHa#ing "ond the "lo$er and dri#en a bee a$ay,
! leaned my head,
&nd holding by the stalk,
! listened and ! thoght ! caght the $ord1
,hat $as it3 Did yo call me by my name3 :E
2r did yo say1
*omeone said S'ome01! heard it as ! bo$ed*I
H! may ha#e thoght as mch, bt not alod*I
H,ell, so ! came*I
The >ven Bird [191$]
There is a singer e#eryone has heard,
Lod, a mid9smmer and a mid9$ood bird,
,ho makes the solid tree trnks sond again*
He says that lea#es are old and that "or "lo$ers
6id9smmer is to spring as one to ten* E
He says the early petal9"all is past
,hen pear and cherry bloom $ent do$n in sho$ers
2n snny days a moment o#ercast/
&nd comes that other "all $e name the "all*
He says the high$ay dst is o#er all* :<
The bird $old cease and be as other birds
4t that he kno$s in singing not to sing*
The +estion that he "rames in all bt $ords
!s $hat to make o" a diminished thing*
The /im Was &on" [19*<]
4e"ore man came to blo$ it right
The $ind once ble$ itsel" ntaght,
&nd did its lodest day and night
!n any rogh place $here it caght* J
6an came to tell it $hat $as $rong:
!t hadn0t "ond the place to blo$/
!t ble$ too hard1the aim $as song*
&nd listen1ho$ it oght to goF G
He took a little in his moth,
&nd held it long enogh "or north
To be con#erted into soth,
&nd then by measre ble$ it "orth* :2
4y measre* !t $as $ord and note,
The $ind the $ind had meant to be1
& little throgh the lips and throat*
The aim $as song1the $ind cold see* :6
The !eed o' Bein" ?ersed in -o)ntry Thin"s [19*<]
The hose had gone to bring again
To the midnight sky a snset glo$*
>o$ the chimney $as all o" the hose that stood,
Like a pistil a"ter the petals go* J
The barn opposed across the $ay,
That $old ha#e -oined the hose in "lame
Had it been the $ill o" the $ind, $as le"t
To bear "orsaken the place0s name* G
>o more it opened $ith all one end
For teams that came by the stony road
To drm on the "loor $ith scrrying hoo"s
&nd brsh the mo$ $ith the smmer load* :2
The birds that came to it throgh the air
&t broken $indo$s "le$ ot and in,
Their mrmr more like the sigh $e sigh
From too mch d$elling on $hat has been* :6
?et "or them the lilac rene$ed its lea",
&nd the aged elm, thogh toched $ith "ire/
&nd the dry pmp "lng p an a$k$ard arm/
&nd the "ence post carried a strand o" $ire* 2<
For them there $as really nothing sad*
4t thogh they re-oiced in the nest they kept,
2ne had to be #ersed in contry things
>ot to belie#e the phoebes $ept* 2J
&toppin" by Woods on a &nowy 2venin" [19*<]
,hose $oods these are ! think ! kno$*
His hose is in the #illage, thogh/
He $ill not see me stopping here
To $atch his $oods "ill p $ith sno$* J
6y little horse mst think it +eer
To stop $ithot a "armhose near
4et$een the $oods and "roDen lake
The darkest e#ening o" the year* G
He gi#es his harness bells a shake
To ask i" there is some mistake*
The only other sond0s the s$eep
2" easy $ind and do$ny "lake* :2
The $oods are lo#ely, dark and deep,
4t ! ha#e promises to keep,
&nd miles to go be"ore ! sleep,
&nd miles to go be"ore ! sleep* :6
/c@)ainted with the !i"ht [19*8]
! ha#e been one ac+ainted $ith the night*
! ha#e $alked ot in rain1and back in rain*
! ha#e ot$alked the "rthest city light*
! ha#e looked do$n the saddest city lane*
! ha#e passed by the $atchman on his beat E
&nd dropped my eyes, n$illing to e5plain*
! ha#e stood still and stopped the sond o" "eet
,hen "ar a$ay an interrpted cry
'ame o#er hoses "rom another street,
4t not to call me back or say good9bye/ :<
&nd "rther still at an nearthly height,
2ne lminary clock against the sky
Proclaimed the time $as neither $rong nor right*
! ha#e been one ac+ainted $ith the night*
7esert Paces [19<$]
%no$ "alling and night "alling "ast oh "ast
!n a "ield ! looked into going past,
&nd the grond almost co#ered smooth in sno$,
4t a "e$ $eeds and stbble sho$ing last* J
The $oods arond it ha#e it1it is theirs*
&ll animals are smothered in their lairs*
! am too absent9spirited to cont/
The loneliness incldes me na$ares* G
&nd lonely as it is that loneliness
,ill be more lonely ere it $ill be less1
& blanker $hiteness o" benighted sno$
,ith no e5pression, nothing to e5press* :2
They cannot scare me $ith their empty spaces
4et$een stars1on stars $here no hman race is*
! ha#e it in me so mch nearer home
To scare mysel" $ith my o$n desert places* :6
7esi"n [19<$]
! "ond a dimpled spider, "at and $hite,
2n a $hite heal9all, holding p a moth
Like a $hite piece o" rigid satin cloth1
&ssorted characters o" death and blight J
6i5ed ready to begin the morning right,
Like the ingredients o" a $itches0 broth1
& sno$9drop spider, a "lo$er like "roth,
&nd dead $ings carried like a paper kite* G
,hat had that "lo$er to do $ith being $hite,
The $ayside ble and innocent heal9all3
,hat broght the kindred spider to that height,
Then steered the $hite moth thither in the night3 :2
,hat bt design o" darkness to appall31
!" design go#ern in a thing so small*
The &iken Tent [196*]
%he is as in a "ield a silken tent
&t midday $hen a snny smmer breeDe
Has dried the de$ and all its ropes relent,
%o that in gys it gently s$ays at ease, J
&nd its spporting central cedar pole,
That is its pinnacle to hea#en$ard
&nd signi"ies the sreness o" the sol,
%eems to o$e naght to any single cord, G
4t strictly held by none, is loosely bond
4y contless silken ties o" lo#e and thoght
To e#erything on earth the compass rond,
&nd only by one0s going slightly tat :2
!n the capriciosness o" smmer air
!s o" the slightest bondage made a$are*
-ome (n [196*]
&s ! came to the edge o" the $oods*
Thrsh msic1harkF
>o$ i" it $as dsk otside,
!nside it $as dark* J
Too dark in the $oods "or a bird
4y sleight o" $ing
To better its perch "or the night,
Thogh it still cold sing* G
The last o" the light o" the sn
That had died in the $est
%till li#ed "or one song more
!n a thrsh0s breast* :2
Far in the pillared dark
Thrsh msic $ent1
&lmost like a call to come in
To the dark and lament* :6
4t no, ! $as ot "or stars:
! $old not come in*
! meant not e#en i" asked,
&nd ! hadn0t been* 2<
The .ost o' (t [196*]
He thoght he kept the ni#erse alone/
For all the #oice in ans$er he cold $ake
,as bt the mocking echo o" his o$n
From some tree9hidden cli"" across the lake*
%ome morning "rom the bolder9broken beach E
He $old cry ot on li"e, that $hat it $ants
!s not its o$n lo#e back in copy speech,
4t conter9lo#e, original response*
&nd nothing e#er came o" $hat he cried
Knless it $as the embodiment that crashed :<
!n the cli""0s tals on the other side,
&nd then in the "ar distant $ater splashed,
4t a"ter a time allo$ed "or it to s$im,
!nstead o" pro#ing hman $hen it neared
&nd someone else additional to him, :E
&s a great bck it po$er"lly appeared,
Pshing the crmpled $ater p ahead,
&nd landed poring like a $ater"all,
&nd stmbled throgh the rocks $ith horny tread,
&nd "orced the nderbrsh1and that $as all* 2<
ROBERT FROST ON POETRY
The +i")re a Poem .akes
&bstraction is an old story $ith the philosophers, bt it has been like a ne$ toy in the hands o" the
artists o" or day* ,hy can0t $e ha#e any one +ality o" poetry $e choose by itsel"3 ,e can ha#e in
thoght* Then it $ill go hard i" $e can0t in practice* 2r li#es "or it*
.ranted no one bt a hmanist mch cares ho$ sond a poem is i" it is only a sond* The sond
is the gold in the ore* Then $e $ill ha#e the sond ot alone and dispense $ith the inessential* ,e do
till $e make the disco#ery that the ob-ect in $riting poetry is to make all poems sond as di""erent as
possible "rom each other, and the resorces "or that o" #o$els, consonants, pnctation, synta5,
$ords, sentences, meter are not enogh* ,e need the help o" conte5t1meaning1sb-ect matter* That
is the greatest help to$ards #ariety* &ll that can be done $ith $ords is soon told* %o also $ith meters
1particlarly in or langage $here there are #irtally bt t$o, strict iambic and loose iambic* The
ancients $ith many $ere still poor i" they depended on meters "or all tne* !t is pain"l to $atch or
sprng9rhythmists straining at the point o" omitting one short "rom a "oot "or relie" "rom monotony*
The possibilities "or tne "rom the dramatic tones o" meaning strck across the rigidity o" a limited
meter are endless* &nd $e are back in poetry as merely one more art o" ha#ing something to say,
sond or nsond* Probably better i" sond, becase deeper and "rom $ider e5perience*
Then there is this $ildness $hereo" it is spoken* .ranted again that it has an e+al claim $ith
sond to being a poem0s better hal"* !" it is a $ild tne, it is a poem* 2r problem then is, as modern
abstractionists, to ha#e the $ildness pre: to be $ild $ith nothing to be $ild abot* ,e bring p as
aberrationists, gi#ing $ay to ndirected associations and kicking orsel#es "rom one chance
sggestion to another in all directions as o" a hot a"ternoon in the li"e o" a grasshopper* Theme alone
can steady s do$n* Cst as the "irst mystery $as ho$ a poem cold ha#e a tne in sch a straightness
as meter, so the second mystery is ho$ a poem can ha#e $ildness and at the same time a sb-ect that
shall be "l"illed*
!t shold be o" the pleasre o" a poem itsel" to tell ho$ it can* The "igre a poem makes* !t begins
in delight and ends in $isdom* The "igre is the same as "or lo#e* >o one can really hold that the
ecstasy shold be static and stand still in one place* !t begins in delight, it inclines to the implse, it
assmes direction $ith the "irst line laid do$n, it rns a corse o" lcky e#ents, and ends in a
clari"ication o" li"e1not necessarily a great clari"ication, sch as sects and clts are "onded on, bt
in a momentary stay against con"sion* !t has denoement* !t has an otcome that thogh n"oreseen
$as predestined "rom the "irst image o" the original mood1and indeed "rom the #ery mood* !t is bt a
trick poem and no poem at all i" the best o" it $as thoght o" "irst and sa#ed "or the last* !t "inds its
o$n name as it goes and disco#ers the best $aiting "or it in some "inal phrase at once $ise and sad1
the happy9sad blend o" the drinking song*
>o tears in the $riter, no tears in the reader* >o srprise "or the $riter, no srprise "or the reader*
For me the initial delight is in the srprise o" remembering something ! didn0t kno$ ! kne$* ! am in a
place, in a sitation, as i" ! had materialiDed "rom clod or risen ot o" the grond* There is a glad
recognition o" the long lost and the rest "ollo$s* %tep by step the $onder o" ne5pected spply keeps
gro$ing* The impressions most se"l to my prpose seem al$ays those ! $as na$are o" and so
made no note o" at the time $hen taken, and the conclsion is come to that like giants $e are al$ays
hrling e5perience ahead o" s to pa#e the "tre $ith against the day $hen $e may $ant to strike a
line o" prpose across it "or some$here* The line $ill ha#e the more charm "or not being
mechanically straight* ,e en-oy the straight crookedness o" a good $alking stick* 6odern
instrments o" precision are being sed to make things crooked as i" by eye and hand in the old days*
! tell ho$ there may be a better $ildness o" logic than o" inconse+ence* 4t the logic is
back$ard, in retrospect, a"ter the act* !t mst be more "elt than seen ahead like prophecy* !t mst be a
re#elation, or a series o" re#elations, as mch "or the poet as "or the reader* For it to be that there mst
ha#e been the greatest "reedom o" the material to mo#e abot in it and to establish relations in it
regardless o" time and space, pre#ios relation, and e#erything bt a""inity* ,e prate o" "reedom* ,e
call or schools "ree becase $e are not "ree to stay a$ay "rom them till $e are si5teen years o" age* !
ha#e gi#en p my democratic pre-dices and no$ $illingly set the lo$er classes "ree to be completely
taken care o" by the pper classes* Political "reedom is nothing to me* ! besto$ it right and le"t* &ll !
$old keep "or mysel" is the "reedom o" my material1the condition o" body and mind no$ and then
to smmons aptly "rom the #ast chaos o" all ! ha#e li#ed throgh*
%cholars and artists thro$n together are o"ten annoyed at the pDDle o" $here they di""er* 4oth
$ork "rom kno$ledge/ bt ! sspect they di""er most importantly in the $ay their kno$ledge is come
by* %cholars get theirs $ith conscientios thoroghness along pro-ected lines o" logic/ poets theirs
ca#alierly and as it happens in and ot o" books* They stick to nothing deliberately, bt let $hat $ill
stick to them like brrs $here they $alk in the "ields* >o ac+irement is on assignment, or e#en sel"9
assignment* Mno$ledge o" the second kind is mch more a#ailable in the $ild "ree $ays o" $it and
art* & school boy may be de"ined as one $ho can tell yo $hat he kno$s in the order in $hich he
learned it* The artist mst #ale himsel" as he snatches a thing "rom some pre#ios order in time and
space into a ne$ order $ith not so mch as a ligatre clinging to it o" the old place $here it $as
organic*
6ore than once ! shold ha#e lost my sol to radicalism i" it had been the originality it $as
mistaken "or by yong con#erts* 2riginality and initiati#e are $hat ! ask "or my contry* For mysel"
the originality need be no more than the "reshness o" a poem rn in the $ay ! ha#e described: "rom
delight to $isdom* The "igre is the same as "or lo#e* Like a piece o" ice on a hot sto#e the poem mst
ride on its o$n melting* & poem may be $orked o#er once it is in being, bt may not be $orried into
being* !ts most precios +ality $ill remain its ha#ing rn itsel" and carried a$ay the poet $ith it*
Read it a hndred times: it $ill "ore#er keep its "reshness as a metal keeps its "ragrance* !t can ne#er
lose its sense o" a meaning that once n"olded by srprise as it $ent*
+rom AThe -onstant &ymboB
There are many other things ! ha#e "ond mysel" saying abot poetry, bt the chie"test o" these is that
it is metaphor, saying one thing and meaning another, saying one thing in terms o" another, the
pleasre o" lteriority* Poetry is simply made o" metaphor* %o also is philosophy1and science, too, "or
that matter, i" it $ill take the so"t impeachment "rom a "riend* E#ery poem is a ne$ metaphor inside
or it is nothing* &nd there is a sense in $hich all poems are the same old metaphor al$ays*
E#ery single poem $ritten reglar is a symbol small or great o" the $ay the $ill has to pitch into
commitments deeper and deeper to a ronded conclsion and then be -dged "or $hether any original
intention it had has been strongly spent or $eakly lost/ be it in art, politics, school, chrch, bsiness,
lo#e, or marriage1in a piece o" $ork or in a career* %trongly spent is synonymos $ith kept*
LANGSTON HUGHES
2angston Hughes (1>0@1>!6" #as an accomplished poet, sho$tBsto$y #$ite$, d$amatist, essayist, and
edito$( He #as bo$n in Joplin, Missou$i4 he g$e# up in 2a#$ence, Hansas, and +le)eland, Ihio4 and he
spent a yea$ li)ing in Me,ico be&o$e ente$ing +olumbia Ani)e$sity in 1>@1( He le&t +olumbia the
&ollo#ing yea$ and t$a)eled e,tensi)ely in Eu$ope, $etu$ning to the Anited *tates in the midB1>@0s(
Du$ing these yea$s, Hughes pu$sued his academic studies at 2incoln Ani)e$sity in <ennsyl)ania
(g$aduating in 1>@>" and published his &i$st t#o books o& )e$se, :he .ea$y 5lues (1>@!" and 8ine +lothes
to the Je# (1>@6"( His many achie)ements in lite$atu$e, d$a#ing upon spi$ituals, blues, ?aGG, and &olk
e,p$ession, and his $ich, p$oducti)e ca$ee$ ha)e led his biog$aphe$, '$nold Rampe$sad, to desc$ibe him
as /pe$haps the most $ep$esentati)e black 'me$ican #$ite$(3
He$e #e p$o)ide a selection o& Hughes;s poet$y that sho#s the $ange o& his themes and the )a$iety o&
his speaking )oices( .e begin #ith one o& his bestBkno#n #o$ks, /:he %eg$o *peaks o& Ri)e$s,3 a poem
&i$st published in the June 1>@1 issue o& :he +$isis, the o&&icial magaGine o& the %''+<( .e gi)e ele)en
o& Hughes;s poems he$e (and #e ha)e al$eady gi)en some o& his poems in ea$lie$ chapte$s", and t#o
selections &$om his p$ose(
The !e"ro &peaks o' 1ivers [19*1]
!0#e kno$n ri#ers:
!0#e kno$n ri#ers ancient as the $orld and older than the "lo$ o" hman blood in hman #eins*
6y sol has gro$n deep like the ri#ers*
! bathed in the Ephrates $hen da$ns $ere yong*
! bilt my ht near the 'ongo and it llled me to sleep* E
! looked pon the >ile and raised the pyramids abo#e it*
! heard the singing o" the 6ississippi $hen &be Lincoln $ent do$n to >e$ 2rleans, and !0#e
seen its mddy bosom trn all golden in the snset*
!0#e kno$n ri#ers:
&ncient, dsky ri#ers*
6y sol has gro$n deep like the ri#ers* :<
.other to &on [19**]
,ell, son, !0ll tell yo:
Li"e "or me ain0t been no crystal stair*
!t0s had tacks in it,
&nd splinters,
&nd boards torn p, E
&nd places $ith no carpet on the "loor1
4are*
4t all the time
!0se been a9climbin0 on,
&nd reachin0 landin0s, :<
&nd trnin0 corners,
&nd sometimes goin0 in the dark
,here there ain0t been no light*
%o boy, don0t yo trn back*
Don0t yo set do$n on the steps :E
0'ase yo "inds it0s kinder hard*
Don0t yo "all no$1
For !0se still goin0, honey,
!0se still climbin0,
&nd li"e "or me ain0t been no crystal stair* 2<
The Weary B)es [19*5]
Droning a dro$sy syncopated tne,
Rocking back and "orth to a mello$ croon,
! heard a >egro play*
Do$n on Leno5 &#ene the other night
4y the pale dll pallor o" an old gas light E
He did a laDy s$ay* * * *
He did a laDy s$ay* * * *
To the tne o0 those ,eary 4les*
,ith his ebony hands on each i#ory key
He made that poor piano moan $ith melody* :<
2 4lesF
%$aying to and "ro on his rickety stool
He played that sad raggy tne like a msical "ool*
%$eet 4lesF
'oming "rom a black man0s sol* :E
2 4lesF
!n a deep song #oice $ith a melancholy tone
! heard that >egro sing, that old piano moan1
H&in0t got nobody in all this $orld,
&in0t got nobody bt ma sel"* 2<
!0s g$ine to +it ma "ro$nin0
&nd pt ma trobles on the shel"*I
Thmp, thmp, thmp, $ent his "oot on the "loor*
He played a "e$ chords then he sang some more1
H! got the ,eary 4les 2E
&nd ! can0t be satis"ied*
.ot the ,eary 4les
&nd can0t be satis"ied1
! ain0t happy no mo0
&nd ! $ish that ! had died*I A<
&nd "ar into the night he crooned that tne*
The stars $ent ot and so did the moon*
The singer stopped playing and $ent to bed
,hile the ,eary 4les echoed throgh his head*
He slept like a rock or a man that0s dead* AE
The &o)th [19**]
The laDy, laghing %oth
,ith blood on its moth*
The snny9"aced %oth,
4east9strong,
!diot9brained* E
The child9minded %oth
%cratching in the dead "ire0s ashes
For a >egro0s bones*
'otton and the moon,
,armth, earth, $armth, :<
The sky, the sn, the stars,
The magnolia9scented %oth*
4eati"l, like a $oman,
%edcti#e as a dark9eyed $hore,
Passionate, crel, :E
Honey9lipped, syphilitic1
That is the %oth*
&nd !, $ho am black, $old lo#e her
4t she spits in my "ace*
&nd !, $ho am black, 2<
,old gi#e her many rare gi"ts
4t she trns her back pon me*
%o no$ ! seek the >orth1
The cold9"aced >orth,
For she, they say, 2E
!s a kinder mistress,
&nd in her hose my children
6ay escape the spell o" the %oth*
1)by Brown [19*$]
%he $as yong and beati"l
&nd golden like the snshine
That $armed her body*
&nd becase she $as colored
6ay#ille had no place to o""er her, E
>or "el "or the clean "lame o" -oy
That tried to brn $ithin her sol*
2ne day,
%itting on old 6rs* Latham0s back porch
Polishing the sil#er, :<
%he asked hersel" t$o +estions
&nd they ran something like this:
,hat can a colored girl do
2n the money "rom a $hite $oman0s kitchen3
&nd ain0t there any -oy in this to$n3 :E
>o$ the streets do$n by the ri#er
Mno$ more abot this pretty Rby 4ro$n,
&nd the sinister shttered hoses o" the bottoms
Hold a yello$ girl
%eeking an ans$er to her +estions* 2<
The good chrch "olk do not mention
Her name any more*
4t the $hite men,
HabitTs o" the high shttered hoses,
Pay more money to her no$ 2E
Than they e#er did be"ore,
,hen she $orked in their kitchens*
Poet to Patron [19<9]
,hat right has anyone to say
That !
6st thro$ ot pieces o" my heart
For pay3 J
For bread that helps to make
6y heart beat tre,
! mst sell mysel"
To yo3 G
& "actory shi"t0s better,
& $eek0s meagre pay,
Than a per"med note asking:
.hat poems todayJ :2
Baad o' the Candord [196D]
Landlord, landlord,
6y roo" has sprng a leak*
Don0t yo member ! told yo abot it
,ay last $eek3 J
Landlord, landlord,
These steps is broken do$n*
,hen yo come p yorsel"
!t0s a $onder yo don0t "all do$n* G
Ten 4cks yo say ! o$e yo3
Ten 4cks yo say is de3
,ell, that0s Ten 4cks more0n !0ll pay yo
Till yo "i5 this hose p ne$* :2
,hat3 ?o gonna get e#iction orders3
?o gonna ct o"" my heat3
?o gonna take my "rnitre and
Thro$ it in the street3 :6
Km9hhF ?o talking high and mighty*
Talk on1till yo get throgh*
?o ain0t gonna be able to say a $ord
!" ! land my "ist on yo* 2<
<oliceK <oliceK
+ome and get this manK
He;s t$ying to $uin the go)e$nment
'nd o)e$tu$n the landK 2J
'opper0s $histleF
Patrol bellF
&rrest*
Precinct %tation* 2G
!ron cell*
Headlines in press:
6&> THRE&TE>% L&>DL2RD

TE>&>T HELD >2 4&!L A2

CKD.E .!LE% >E.R2 ;< D&?% !> '2K>T? C&!L*
Too B)e [196<]
! got those sad old $eary bles*
! don0t kno$ $here to trn*
! don0t kno$ $here to go*
>obody cares abot yo J
,hen yo sink so lo$*
,hat shall ! do3
,hat shall ! say3
%hall ! take a gn G
&nd pt mysel" a$ay3
! $onder i"
Ine bllet $old do3
&s hard as my head is, :2
!t $old probably take t$o*
4t ! ain0t got
>either bllet nor gn1
&nd !0m too ble :6
To look "or one*
;arem [1] [1969]
Here on the edge o" hell
%tands Harlem1
Remembering the old lies,
The old kicks in the back,
The old H4e patientI E
They told s be"ore*
%re, $e remember*
>o$ $hen the man at the corner store
%ays sgar0s gone p another t$o cents,
&nd bread one, :<
&nd there0s a ne$ ta5 on cigarettes1
,e remember the -ob $e ne#er had,
>e#er cold get,
&nd can0t ha#e no$
4ecase $e0re colored* :E
%o $e stand here
2n the edge o" hell
!n Harlem
&nd look ot on the $orld
&nd $onder 2<
,hat $e0re gonna do
!n the "ace o" $hat
,e remember*
Theme 'or 2n"ish B [1969]
The instrctor said,
1o home and #$ite
a page tonight(
'nd let that page come out o& you-
:hen, it #ill be t$ue( E
! $onder i" it0s that simple3
! am t$enty9t$o, colored, born in ,inston9%alem*
! $ent to school there, then Drham, then here
to this college on the hill abo#e Harlem*
! am the only colored stdent in my class* :<
The steps "rom the hill lead do$n into Harlem,
throgh a park, then ! cross %t* >icholas,
Eighth &#ene, %e#enth, and ! come to the ?,
the Harlem 4ranch ?, $here ! take the ele#ator
p to my room, sit do$n, and $rite this page: :E
!t0s not easy to kno$ $hat is tre "or yo or me
at t$enty9t$o, my age* 4t ! gess !0m $hat
! "eel and see and hear, Harlem, ! hear yo:
hear yo, hear me1$e t$o1yo, me, talk on this page*
(! hear >e$ ?ork, too*) 6e1$ho3 2<
,ell, ! like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in lo#e*
! like to $ork, read, learn, and nderstand li"e*
! like a pipe "or a 'hristmas present,
or records14essie, bop, or 4ach*
! gess being colored doesn0t make me not like 2E
the same things other "olks like $ho are other races*
%o $ill my page be colored that ! $rite3
4eing me, it $ill not be $hite*
4t it $ill be
a part o" yo, instrctor* A<
?o are $hite1
yet a part o" me, as ! am a part o" yo*
That0s &merican*
%ometimes perhaps yo don0t $ant to be a part o" me*
>or do ! o"ten $ant to be a part o" yo* AE
4t $e are, that0s treF
&s ! learn "rom yo,
! gess yo learn "rom me1
althogh yo0re older1and $hite1
and some$hat more "ree* J<
:his is my page &o$ English 5(
Poet to Bi"ot [195<]
! ha#e done so little
For yo,
&nd yo ha#e done so little
For me,
That $e ha#e good reason E
>e#er to agree*
!, ho$e#er,
Ha#e sch meagre
Po$er,
'ltching at a :<
6oment,
,hile yo control
&n hor*
4t yor hor is
& stone* :E
6y moment is
& "lo$er*
LANGSTON HUGHES ON POETRY
The !e"ro and the 1acia .o)ntain [19*$]
Hughes o&ten e,amined the challenges he &aced in #$iting both as an 'me$ican and an '&$ican
'me$ican, as in this p$o)ocati)e essay published in 1>@!(
2ne o" the most promising o" the yong >egro poets said to me once, H! $ant to be a poet1not a
>egro poet,I meaning, ! belie#e, H! $ant to $rite like a $hite poetI/ meaning sbconsciosly, H!
$old like to be a $hite poetI/ meaning behind that, H! $old like to be $hite*I &nd ! $as sorry the
yong man said that, "or no great poet has e#er been a"raid o" being himsel"* &nd ! dobted then that,
$ith his desire to rn a$ay spiritally "rom his race, this boy $old e#er be a great poet* 4t this is
the montain standing in the $ay o" any tre >egro art in &merica1this rge $ithin the race to$ard
$hiteness, the desire to por racial indi#idality into the mold o" &merican standardiDation, and to be
as little >egro and as mch &merican as possible*
4t let s look at the immediate backgrond o" this yong poet* His "amily is o" $hat ! sppose
one $old call the >egro middle class: people $ho are by no means rich yet ne#er ncom"ortable nor
hngry1smg, contented, respectable "olk, members o" the 4aptist chrch* The "ather goes to $ork
e#ery morning* He is a chie" ste$ard at a large $hite clb* The mother sometimes does "ancy se$ing
or sper#ises parties "or the rich "amilies o" the to$n* The children go to a mi5ed school* !n the home
they read $hite papers and magaDines* &nd the mother o"ten says HDon0t be like niggersI $hen the
children are bad* & "re+ent phrase "rom the "ather is, HLook ho$ $ell a $hite man does things*I &nd
so the $ord $hite comes to be nconsciosly a symbol o" all the #irtes* !t holds "or the children
beaty, morality, and money* The $hisper o" H! $ant to be $hiteI rns silently throgh their minds*
This yong poet0s home is, ! belie#e, a "airly typical home o" the colored middle class* 2ne sees
immediately ho$ di""iclt it $old be "or an artist born in sch a home to interest himsel" in
interpreting the beaty o" his o$n people* He is ne#er taght to see that beaty* He is taght rather not
to see it, or i" he does, to be ashamed o" it $hen it is not according to 'acasian patterns*
For racial cltre the home o" a sel"9styled Hhigh9classI >egro has nothing better to o""er* !nstead
there $ill perhaps be more aping o" things $hite than in a less cltred or less $ealthy home* The
"ather is perhaps a doctor, la$yer, lando$ner, or politician* The mother may be a social $orker, or a
teacher, or she may do nothing and ha#e a maid* Father is o"ten dark bt he has sally married the
lightest $oman he cold "ind* The "amily attend a "ashionable chrch $here "e$ really colored "aces
are to be "ond* &nd they themsel#es dra$ a color line* !n the >orth they go to $hite theaters and
$hite mo#ies* &nd in the %oth they ha#e at least t$o cars and a hose Hlike $hite "olks*I >ordic
manners, >ordic "aces, >ordic hair, >ordic art (i" any), and an Episcopal hea#en* & #ery high
montain indeed "or the $old9be racial artist to climb in order to disco#er himsel" and his people*
4t then there are the lo$9do$n "olks, the so9called common element, and they are the ma-ority
1may the Lord be praisedF The people $ho ha#e their nip o" gin on %atrday nights and are not too
important to themsel#es or the commnity, or too $ell "ed, or too learned to $atch the laDy $orld go
rond* They li#e on %e#enth %treet in ,ashington or %tate %treet in 'hicago and they do not
particlarly care $hether they are like $hite "olks or anybody else* Their -oy rns, bangF into ecstasy*
Their religion soars to a shot* ,ork maybe a little today, rest a little tomorro$* Play a$hile* %ing
a$hile* 2, let0s danceF These common people are not a"raid o" spiritals, as "or a long time their more
intellectal brethren $ere, and -aDD is their child* They "rnish a $ealth o" color"l, distincti#e
material "or any artist becase they still hold their o$n indi#idality in the "ace o" &merican
standardiDations* &nd perhaps these common people $ill gi#e to the $orld its trly great >egro artist,
the one $ho is not a"raid to be himsel"* ,hereas the better9class >egro $old tell the artist $hat to
do, the people at least let him alone $hen he does appear* &nd they are not ashamed o" him1i" they
kno$ he e5ists at all* &nd they accept $hat beaty is their o$n $ithot +estion*
E 'ertainly there is, "or the &merican >egro artist $ho can escape the restrictions the more
ad#anced among his o$n grop $old pt pon him, a great "ield o" nsed material ready "or his
art* ,ithot going otside his race and e#en among the better classes $ith their H$hiteI cltre and
conscios &merican manners, bt still >egro enogh to be di""erent, there is s""icient matter to
"rnish a black artist $ith a li"etime o" creati#e $ork* &nd $hen he chooses to toch on the relations
bet$een >egroes and $hites in this contry $ith their innmerable o#ertones and ndertones, srely,
and especially "or literatre and the drama, there is an ine5hastible spply o" themes at hand* To
these the >egro artist can gi#e his racial indi#idality, his heritage o" rhythm and $armth, and his
incongros hmor that so o"ten, as in the 4les, becomes ironic laghter mi5ed $ith tears* 4t let s
look again at the montain*
& prominent >egro clb$oman in Philadelphia paid ele#en dollars to hear Ra+el 6eller sing
&ndalsian poplar songs* 4t she told me a "e$ $eeks be"ore she $old not think o" going to hear
Hthat $oman,I 'lara %mith, a great black artist, sing >egro "olksongs* &nd many an pper9class
>egro chrch, e#en no$, $old not dream o" employing a spirital in its ser#ices* The drab melodies
in $hite "olks0 hymnbooks are mch to be pre"erred* H,e $ant to $orship the Lord correctly and
+ietly* ,e don0t belie#e in Sshoting*0 Let0s be dll like the >ordics,I they say, in e""ect*
The road "or the serios black artist, then, $ho $old prodce a racial art is most certainly rocky
and the montain is high* Kntil recently he recei#ed almost no encoragement "or his $ork "rom
either $hite or colored people* The "ine no#els o" 'hestntt: go ot o" print $ith neither race noticing
their passing* The +aint charm and hmor o" Dnbar0s2 dialect #erse broght to him, in his day,
largely the same kind o" encoragement one $old gi#e a sidesho$ "reak (& colored man $riting
poetryF Ho$ oddF) or a clo$n (Ho$ amsingF)*
The present #oge in things >egro, althogh it may do as mch harm as good "or the bdding
colored artist, has at least done this: it has broght him "orcibly to the attention o" his o$n people
among $hom "or so long, nless the other race had noticed him be"orehand, he $as a prophet $ith
little honor* ! nderstand that 'harles .ilpin acted "or years in >egro theaters $ithot any special
acclaim "rom his o$n, bt $hen 4road$ay ga#e him eight crtain calls, >egroes, too, began to beat a
tin pan in his honor* ! kno$ a yong colored $riter, a manal $orker by day, $ho had been $riting
$ell "or the colored magaDines "or some years, bt it $as not ntil he recently broke into the $hite
pblications and his "irst book $as accepted by a prominent >e$ ?ork pblisher that the HbestI
>egroes in his city took the troble to disco#er that he li#ed there* Then almost immediately they
decided to gi#e a grand dinner "or him* 4t the society ladies $ere care"l to $hisper to his mother
that perhaps she0d better not come* They $ere not sre she $old ha#e an e#ening go$n*
The >egro artist $orks against an nderto$ o" sharp criticism and misnderstanding "rom his
o$n grop and nintentional bribes "rom the $hites* H2, be respectable, $rite abot nice people,
sho$ ho$ good $e are,I say the >egroes* H4e stereotyped, don0t go too "ar, don0t shatter or illsions
abot yo, don0t amse s too seriosly* ,e $ill pay yo,I say the $hites* 4oth $old ha#e told Cean
Toomer not to $rite H'ane*I The colored people did not praise it* The $hite people did not by it*
6ost o" the colored people $ho did read H'aneI hate it* They are a"raid o" it* &lthogh the critics
ga#e it good re#ie$s the pblic remained indi""erent* ?et (e5cepting the $ork o" D4oisA) H'aneI
contains the "inest prose $ritten by a >egro in &merica* &nd like the singing o" Robeson,J it is trly
racial*
:< 4t in spite o" the >ordiciDed >egro intelligentsia and the desires o" some $hite editors $e ha#e
an honest &merican >egro literatre already $ith s* >o$ ! a$ait the rise o" the >egro theater* 2r
"olk msic, ha#ing achie#ed $orld9$ide "ame, o""ers itsel" to the genis o" the great indi#idal
&merican >egro composer $ho is to come* &nd $ithin the ne5t decade ! e5pect to see the $ork o" a
gro$ing school o" colored artists $ho paint and model the beaty o" dark "aces and create $ith ne$
techni+e the e5pres9 sions o" their o$n sol9$orld* &nd the >egro dancers $ho $ill dance like "lame
and the singers $ho $ill contine to carry or songs to all $ho listen1they $ill be $ith s in e#en
greater nmbers tomorro$*
6ost o" my o$n poems are racial in theme and treatment, deri#ed "rom the li"e ! kno$* !n many
o" them ! try to grasp and hold some o" the meanings and rhythms o" -aDD* ! am sincere as ! kno$
ho$ to be in these poems and yet a"ter e#ery reading ! ans$er +estions like these "rom my o$n
people: Do yo think >egroes shold al$ays $rite abot >egroes3 ! $ish yo $oldn0t read some o"
yor poems to $hite "olks* Ho$ do yo "ind anything interesting in a place like a cabaret3 ,hy do
yo $rite abot black people3 ?o aren0t black* ,hat makes yo do so many -aDD poems3
4t -aDD to me is one o" the inherent e5pressions o" >egro li"e in &merica: the eternal tom9tom
beating in the >egro sol1the tom9tom o" re#olt against $eariness in a $hite $orld, a $orld o"
sb$ay trains, and $ork, $ork, $ork/ the tom9tom o" -oy and laghter, and pain s$allo$ed in a
smile* ?et the Philadelphia clb$oman is ashamed to say that her race created it and she does not like
me to $rite abot it* The old sbconscios H$hite is bestI rns throgh her mind* ?ears o" stdy
nder $hite teachers, a li"etime o" $hite books, pictres, and papers, and $hite manners, morals, and
Pritan standards made her dislike the spiritals* &nd no$ she trns p her nose at -aDD and all its
mani"estations1like$ise almost e#erything else distinctly racial* %he doesn0t care "or the ,inold
Reiss portraits o" >egroes becase they are Htoo >egro*I %he does not $ant a tre pictre o" hersel"
"rom anybody* %he $ants the artist to "latter her, to make the $hite $orld belie#e that all >egroes are
as smg and as near $hite in sol as she $ants to be* 4t, to my mind, it is the dty o" the yonger
>egro artist, i" he accepts any dties at all "rom otsiders, to change throgh the "orce o" his art that
old $hispering H! $ant to be $hite,I hidden in the aspirations o" his people, to H,hy shold ! $ant to
be $hite3 ! am a >egro1and beati"lFI
%o ! am ashamed "or the black poet $ho says, H! $ant to be a poet, not a >egro poet,I as thogh
his o$n racial $orld $ere not as interesting as any other $orld* ! am ashamed, too, "or the colored
artist $ho rns "rom the painting o" >egro "aces to the painting o" snsets a"ter the manner o" the
academicians becase he "ears the strange n9$hiteness o" his o$n "eatres* &n artist mst be "ree to
choose $hat he does, certainly, bt he mst also ne#er be a"raid to do $hat he might choose*
Let the blare o" >egro -aDD bands and the bello$ing #oice o" 4essie %mith singing 4les
penetrate the closed ears o" the colored near9intellectals Hntil they listen and perhaps nderstand*
Let Pal Robeson singing ,ater 4oy, and Rdolph Fisher $riting abot the streets o" Harlem, and
Cean Toomer holding the heart o" .eorgia in his hands, and &aron Doglas dra$ing strange black
"antasies case the smg >egro middle class to trn "rom their $hite, respectable, ordinary books and
papers to catch a glimmer o" their o$n beaty* ,e yonger >egro artists $ho create no$ intend to
e5press or indi#idal dark9skinned sel#es $ithot "ear or shame* !" $hite people are pleased $e are
glad* !" they are not, it doesn0t matter* ,e kno$ $e are beati"l* &nd gly too* The tom9tom cries
and the tom9tom laghs* !" colored people are pleased $e are glad* !" they are not, their displeasre
doesn0t matter either* ,e bild or temples "or tomorro$, strong as $e kno$ ho$, and $e stand on
top o" the montain, "ree $ithin orsel#es*
>n the -)t)ra /chievements o' /'rican=/mericans [19$D]
,ithot them, on my part, there $old ha#e been no poems/ $ithot their hopes and "ears and
dreams, no stories/ $ithot their strggles, no dramas/ $ithot their msic, no songs*
Had ! not heard as a child in the little chrches o" Mansas and 6issori, HDeep ri#er, my home is
o#er Cordan,I or H6y Lord, $hat a morning $hen the stars begin to "all,I ! might not ha#e come to
realiDe the lyric beaty o" li)ing poetry****
There is so mch richness in >egro hmor, so mch beaty in black dreams, so mch dignity in
or strggle, and so mch ni#ersality in or problems, in us1in each li#ing hman being o" color1
that ! do not nderstand the tendency today that some &merican >egro artists ha#e o" seeking to rn
a$ay "rom themsel#es, o" rnning a$ay "rom us, o" being a"raid to sing or o$n songs, paint or
pictres, $rite abot orsel#es1$hen it is or msic that has gi#en &merica its greatest msic, or
hmor that has enriched its entertainment media "or the past :<< years, or rhythm that has gided
its dancing "eet "rom plantation days to the 'harleston**** ?et there are some o" s $ho say, H,hy
$rite abot >egroes3 ,hy not be ?ust a #$ite$JI &nd $hy not1i" one $ants to be H-st a $riter3I
>egroes in a "ree $orld shold be $hate#er each $ants to be1e#en i" it means being H-st a
$riter****I
There is nothing to be ashamed o" in the strength and dignity and laghter o" the >egro people*
&nd there is nothing to be a"raid o" in the se o" their material*
'old yo be possibly a"raid that the rest o" the $orld $ill not accept it3 2r spiritals are sng
and lo#ed in the great concert halls o" the $hole $orld* 2r bles are played "rom Topeka to Tokyo*
Harlem0s -i#e talk delights Hong Mong and Paris* Those o" or $riters $ho ha#e most concerned
themsel#es $ith or #ery special problems are translated and read arond the $orld* The local, the
regional can1and does1become ni#ersal* %ean 20'asey0s !rishmen are an e5ample* %o ! $old say
to yong >egro $riters, do not be a"raid o" yorsel"* Cou are the $orld****

'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Emily Dickinson

'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
5 sophistries decepti#ely sbtle argments*
8 '!"es long periods, eons*
Emily Dickinson
# He$t $eight*
%& Or'i()tio( the ministry*
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
** +)",es the t$o hal#es o" a hinged door sch as is no$ "ond on old telephone booths* Possibly also an
allsion to a bi#al#e, sch as an oyster or a clam, ha#ing a shell consisting o" t$o hinged parts*
Emily Dickinson
6anscript o" Emily Dickinson0s H! heard a Fly bDD1$hen ! died*I
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Emily Dickinson
*# Bo)(er-es a name said (in 6ark A*:Q) to mean H%ons o" Thnder*I
5 Or'i()(!e religios rite o" Holy 'ommnion*
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
** C)(ti!"e hymn* *5 Dr.i'i! pertaining to pre9'hristian 'eltic priests*
UA Ro.te o$ E,)(es!e(!e !n letters to "riends Dickinson said the poem re"erred to a hmmingbird* /
Co!hi(e)" bright red* 0 T.(is 'ity in >orth &"rica*
8 i-(is $)t..s a phosphorescent light that ho#ers o#er s$ampy grond, hence something decepti#e*
Emily Dickinson
Dickinson0s manscript "or H! "elt a Fneral, in my 4rain*I (continued"
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth

Emily Dickinson
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Emily Dickinson
:s.r-er probably cts that Higginson sggested be made in her poems*
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
2Ke)ts 1 1 1 Re,e")tio(s Cohn Meats, Robert 4ro$ning, and EliDabeth 4arrett 4ro$ning $ere nineteenth9
centry English poets/ Thomas 4ro$ne $as a se#enteenth9centry English $riter o" prose/ Cohn Rskin
$as a nineteenth9centry English art critic and social critic/ Re#elation, $hich Dickinson calls
Re#elations, is the last book o" the >e$ Testament* ABrie$s legal docments (Dickinson0s "ather $as a
la$yer)* JMr 2hit3)( 1 1 1 Boo4 ,alt ,hitman0s 2ea)es o& 1$ass $as "irst pblished in :GEE* !ts
ncon#entional pnctation and its celebration o" ,hitman0s passions shocked many readers* EMiss
Pres!ott5s 6Cir!.3st)(!e7 Harriet Prescott %po""ord0s story, pblished in 'tlantic Monthly in 6ay :G6<*
!t tells o" a $oman $ho, retrning "rom a #isit to a sick "riend, is held hostage by a beast $ho is calmed
only $hen she sings to him* Her hsband e#entally resces her, bt $hen they arri#e home they "ind that
their hose has been brned do$n*
Robert Frost

'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Robert Frost
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Robert Frost
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Robert Frost
6anscript o" Robert Frost0s H%topping by ,oods on a %no$y E#ening*I The "irst page o" the manscript
is lost*
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Robert Frost
Page "rom Frost0s notebooks, sho$ing HThe %ilken Tent*I
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Robert Frost on Poetry
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Langston Hghes
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Langston Hghes
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Langston Hghes
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Langston Hghes on Poetry
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Langston Hghes on Poetry
:Chest(.tt 'harles 'hestntt (:GEGR:;A2), &"rican9&merican no#elist* 2D.(8)r Pal Larence Dnbar
(:GQ2R:;<6), &"rican9&merican poet ("or an e5ample o" his $ork, see page Q:6)* AD.Bois ,illiam
Ed$ard 4rghardt D4ois (:G6GR:;6A), &"rican9&merican historian, sociologist, $riter* JRo8eso( Pal
Robeson (:G;GR:;Q6), &"rican9&merican singer and actor*
'hapter 26 = Three Poets in Depth
Langston Hghes on Poetry