Some of you said you really liked what you found in the last Poet’s Corner (July 10). That was the Black poet, Langston Hughes, and a couple of his famous poems about dreams.
I didn’t meet Langston—and other inspiring Black poets—until the middle 1960’s. Those were the days when you could get a Masters in Comparative Literature at a U.S. university—White—without encountering one Black poet to compare with ranks of other Western poets you studied.
I remain an admirer of Langston Hughes to this day. I go back to his work every time I lead a writing workshop to children or adults. Interesting: samples of the work of most of the poets I studied in grad school are not in my trusty, teaching portfolio.
Below is a poem of Langston’s I introduced to Lo-Inyo Elementary School students in Lone Pine in 2017. Before using it as a “prompt” with the children, I sat down to see if I could spin off of it to write a poem of my own. That’s the usual process I go thru before I use a poem with young kids. If I can manage to create a rough draft of my own based on the model in 10 minutes, I’m pretty confident the children can do it in 15 or 20 minutes toward the end of an hour-long class.
April Rain Song
Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk.
The rain makes running pools in the gutter.
The rain plays a little sleep-song on our roof at night—
And I love the rain.
Langston Hughes
***
Weeping Willow Song
After Langston Hughes “April Rain Song”
Let the weeping willow tree bend over you like your mother.
Let the weeping willow tree make shade for you to nap in.
Let the weeping willow listen to your dreams.
The weeping willow dances slowly like a graceful, old ballerina.
The weeping willow talks to the moon while you’re asleep.
The weeping willow has lots of sparrows for friends.
And I want the weeping willow for my friend.
Eva Poole-Gilson
***
Sea Song
Let the waves rock you to sleep.
Let seals play you music.
Let the sea talk to you.
The boat shall jump over waves.
The heart of the sea is where fish live.
The fish eat pink purple green seaweed.
And the sea will tell you I love you.
Lily James
third grader
***
What Awaits Tomorrow
Let tomorrow come with the
sound of Birds
Let tomorrow bring all the
kindness in the world
Let tomorrow show us the
warmth of the hands of our
loved ones
Let tomorrow hand us all the love that we need
Let tomorrow awake you from your slumber
Let tomorrow hold you close against the
warmth from the sun
What awaits tomorrow is all
up to you…..
Stephanie Valdez Vega
sixth grader
***
Are you home-schooling some young poet who wants to take a spin off Langston too?