#AmericanWriters
The rent man knocked. He said, Howdy—do? I said, What Can I do for you? He said, You know
I will take you heart. I will take your soul out of your… As though I were God. I will not be satisfied With the touch of your hand
Well, son, I’ll tell you: Life for me ain’t been no crystal… It’s had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up,
I could take the Harlem night and wrap around you, Take the neon lights and make a cr… Take the Lenox Avenue busses, Taxis, subways,
The gold moth did not love him So, gorgeous, she flew away. But the gray moth circled the flam… Until the break of day. And then, with wings like a dead d…
Children, I come back today To tell you a story of the long da… That I had to climb, that I had t… In order that the race might live… Look at my face —dark as the night…
I sat there singing her Songs in the dark. She said; 'I do not understand The words’.
Gather quickly Out of darkness All the songs you know And throw them at the sun Before they melt
Clean the spittoons, boy. Detroit, Chicago, Atlantic City, Palm Beach.
You and your whole race. Look down upon the town in which y… And be ashamed. Look down upon white folks And upon yourselves
I look at the world From awakening eyes in a black fac… And this is what I see: This fenced—off narrow space Assigned to me.
From Christ to Ghandi Appears this truth— St. Francis of Assisi Proves it, too: Goodness becomes grandeur
My name is Johnson— Madam Alberta K. The Madam stands for business. I’m smart that way. I had a
I am your son, white man! Georgia dusk And the turpentine woods. One of the pillars of the temple f… You are my son!
I work all day, Said Simple John, Myself a house to buy. I work all day, Said Simple John,