Friday, June 29, 2012

As I Grew Older

by Langston Hughes

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!

In Time of Silver Rain 

In time of silver rain
The earth puts forth new life again,
Green grasses grow
And flowers lift their heads,
And over all the plain
The wonder spreads

Of Life,
Of Life,
Of life!

In time of silver rain
The butterflies lift silken wings
To catch a rainbow cry,
And trees put forth new leaves to sing
In joy beneath the sky
As down the roadway
Passing boys and girls
Go singing, too,

In time of silver rain When spring
And life
Are new.

BIO:  Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri in 1902.  He incorporated the rhythms of jazz and blues into his poetry, leading to a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1935. He died of cancer in 1967.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Birdie, Birdie

by Dawn Pisturino

Birdie, birdie in the tree,
Are you lonely just like me?
Rise into the morning sky
And fly, birdie, fly!

Tired of the verdant bough,
Hanging low with apples now?
Look, the yellow sun is high.
Fly, birdie, fly!

I wish I could fly like you,
Sing a song or maybe two,
Flutter softly my good-bye,
And fly, birdie, fly!

When the moon began to rise,
I would leave the darkened skies,
Fold my wings where I would lie,
And die, birdie, die.

Up to heaven I would go,
White and pure as new-made snow,
Safe beneath the father's eye:
Fly, birdie, fly!

All the world would miss my song,
Sweet and pure and not too long,
Partly triumph, partly sigh;
Fly, birdie, fly!

1985
Copyright 2012 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.