320 Quotes by Langston Hughes

Hold onto your dreams.

I was unhappy for a long time, and very lonesome, living with my grandmother. Then it was that books began to happen to me, and I began to believe in nothing but books and the wonderful world in books – where if people suffered, they suffered in beautiful language, not in monosyllables, as we did in Kansas.

Cora was like a tree – once rooted, she stood, in spite of storms and strife, wind, and rocks, in the earth.

I do not want no pretty woman. First thing you know, you fall in love with her-then you got to kill somebody about her. She’ll make you so jealous, you’ll bust!

For my best poems were all written when I felt the worst. When I was happy, I didn’t write anything.

I went down to the river, I set down on the bank. I tried to think but couldn’t, So I jumped in and sank.

I will not take ‘but’ for an answer. Negroes have been looking at democracy’s ‘but’ too long.

Why should I want to be white? I am a Negro – and beautiful!

Looks like what drives me crazy Don’t have no effect on you – But I’m gonna keep on at it Till it drives you crazy, too.