To Langston

To you, Langston, I pay my dues You paint my world in lovely hues Your words a balm to troubled soul Whose dreams like yours, remain on hold Langston, I stand behind the wall I stand here too, feeling so small Please teach me how to get on through Teach me, Langston, to be like you A “Dream Keeper” you claim to be Keep the “rough hands” away from me Like me, you wrote of ending life Sick of injustice and the strife Though often like me, your soul torn, Said, “But for livin' I was born” Heartbroken, and about to cry You wouldn't let her see you die “Life is fine, fine like wine, life is fine” Yes, Dear Mr Hughes, it is sublime I wish you had not died, my dear When I was born, same month and year But know your words are yet alive Your passion and thoughts make me thrive Here’s looking at you, Mr. Hughes You do help chase away my blues “The night comes gently black like” you I wish you knew, I love you true!!! Eileen Manassian Ghali Dream Keeper "Bring me all of your dreams, You dreamer, Bring me all your Heart melodies That I may wrap them In a blue cloud-cloth Away from the too-rough fingers Of the world." Langston Hughes As I Grew Older It was a long time ago. I have almost forgotten my dream. But it was there then, In front of me, Bright like a sun- My dream. And then the wall rose, Rose slowly, Slowly, Between me and my dream. Rose until it touched the sky- The wall. Shadow. I am black. I lie down in the shadow. No longer the light of my dream before me, Above me. Only the thick wall. Only the shadow. My hands! My dark hands! Break through the wall! Find my dream! Help me to shatter this darkness, To smash this night, To break this shadow Into a thousand lights of sun, Into a thousand whirling dreams Of sun! Langston Hughes PS...I love this poet. I love his work. I love his spirit. If you get a chance, read his poem, Life is Fine...He was jilted by his girlfriend and tried to commit suicide but in the end, he decided that life was too good to waste! ;) I made a reference to this in my poem. Amazing....Also, read Dream Variations or Dreams....I love this man! :)