Langston Hughes (1902-67)
For over forty years Hughes was the poetic voice of African Americans. His father had abandoned the United States and gone to live in Mexico. After finishing school, Langston Hughes spent a year living with his father, but then returned to the States. He spent a year studying at Columbia University, then joined the merchant navy, and spent some time in Paris. He became one of the leaders of the ‘Black Renaissance’ in Harlem, New York. The first of many collections of poems The Weary Blues was published in 1926.
Life is fine
1. I went down to the river,
2. I set down on the bank.
3. I tried to think but couldn’t,
4. So I jumped in and sank.
5. I came up once and hollered!
6. I came up twice and cried!
7. If that water hadn’t a-been so cold
8. I might’ve sunk and died
9. But it was
10. Cold in that water!
11. It was cold!
12. I took the elevator
13. Sixteen floors above the ground.
14. I thought about my baby
15. And thought that I would jump down
16. I stood there and I hollered!
17. I stood there and I cried!
18. If it hadn’t a-been so high
19. I might’ve jumped and died.
20. But it was
21. High up there!
22. It was high!
23. So since I’m still here livin’,
24. I guess I will live on.
25. I could’ve died for love-
26. But for livin’ I was born.
27. Though you may hear me holler,
28. And you may see me cry –
29. I’ll be dogged, sweet baby,
30. If you gonna see me die.
31. Life is fine!
32. Fine as wine!
33. Life is fine!
In this ______the poet wants to ______suicide. He has a ______heart. He thinks of the ______(baby) who left him.
He first tries the river. As he sits on the ______of the river he is ______to think
Someone who wants to commit suicide ______no way out of the ______they are in. They can not think. The poet ______this state of mind.
Impulsively he ______in. He can not ______and sinks immediately.
Hollered: a word used in the American ______. It means to scream loudly.
The poet does not want to die. He ______desperately for help. Not once, but ______.
Jokingly the ______says if the water had not been so cold he would have died. The fact is the poet does not ______to die. He ______us he is not a coward, the water was very cold.
He ______to try again. This time he will ______from a building. He ______it. He goes up with the ______.
He thinks about his ______. He decides to ______.
Before he ______jumps he begins to ______and shout
Again he has an ______. If it weren’t so high he ______have jumped. He ______how high it was.
He comes to the ______that since he is still ______after his two suicide ______, he is made for ______. This is ______. His suicide attempts were ______, his life was never in danger.
He states he ______have died for love but ______he was made to live. This is also ______: we are all made to live. Your ______is to live.
Although you may hear him ______during his life, he will ______. Although his life may be ______, he will keep on living. You may see him being ______, but he will be living.
He now realizes he will only ______himself if he dies. ______the girl he lost ______even care if he ______therefore he won’t let her see him die. He is now ______(dogged) to live.
He now ______lighthearted. He ______life should not be so ______and serious. It is as fine as a ______of wine. The alcohol in wine will make you ______. In life, you must ______a little.
Repetition is used to make the ______humorous.
______is used. He ______once and cries twice. He tries to commit suicide ______.