320 Quotes by Langston Hughes

But the way you talk, fun is first and foremost. You imply that there is no fun to be had around white folks." "I never had none," said Simple.

Hold fast to dreams,For if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged bird,That cannot fly.

Life is for the living.Death is for the dead.Let life be like music. And death a note unsaid.

We younger Negro artists who create now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, it doesn’t matter. We know we are beautiful. And ugly too. The tom-tom cries and the tom-tom laughs. If colored people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, their displeasure doesn’t matter either. We build our temples for tomorrow, strong as we know how, and we stand on top of the mountain, free within ourselves.

Humor is laughing at what you haven't got when you ought to have it.

Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.

Yet the ivory gods, And the ebony gods, And the gods of diamond-jade, Are only silly puppet gods That people themselves Have made.-

I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go.

HarlemWhat happens to a dream deferred?Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over-- like a syrupy sweet?Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.Or does it explode?