“Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed—
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.”
Growing up I found solace in the written word. The fragmented thoughts, dreams and ideas that seemed to be spoken with a silver tongue. There have been many whom have inspired, but there is one poet who captured the essence he lived, Langston Hughes. He told his story in a different way from other poets. Incorporating jazz and be-bop rhythms into his verses, he changed the way poetry was perceived. He was part of the Harlem Renaissance, writing about what he saw and what he lived, the hardships of being a minority in America. In “Let America Be America Again” he expressed hope that the disadvantaged’s unrealized dreams could come true. His powerful yet serene work has always motivated me to move my pen across paper. He was a true artist who should not only be remembered during Black History Month, but year-round.
“Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.”
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