September 28, 2003
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Island…Langston Hughes
Wave of sorrow,
Do not drown me now:I see the island
Still ahead somehow.I see the island
And its sands are fair:Wave of sorrow,
Take me there.
I had to reboot just now, downloaded updates,
and ended up having to spend some time looking at my
desktop picture. it’s a stock one of a tiny island
of palm trees. normally I’d choose something more
apparently personal, but I saw something when I first
picked this one…it’s the island!the wave of sorrow island.
Langston Hughes is my favorite poet. I have several
close seconds, but he’s the first…for about twenty
years now.you see that island? how are you going to get there?
the wave of sorrow. you ride it there. maybe it’s a
short ride…maybe it’s a long ride…but if you know
where you’re going, it doesn’t have to be a hard ride.if something or someone is hurting you, beyond your
control…ride that sumbitch like a sailboard. let
them take you there.
Comments (11)
larbunny,
i’m more into bulleh shah.
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I have been pierced by the arrow of love,
what shall I do ?
I can neither live, nor can I die.
Listen ye to my ceaseless outpourings,
I have peace neither by night, nor by day.
I cannot do without my Beloved even for a moment.
I have been pierced by the arrow of love,
what shall I do ?
The fire of separation is unceasing !
Let someone take care of my love.
How can I be saved without seeing him?
I have been pierced by the arrow of love,
what shall I do ?
that poem is wonderful. I only have waves of nausea once and a while. Sorrow will come with post partum.
Torture
when they torture your mother
plant a tree
when they torture your father
plant a tree
when they torture your brother
and your sister
plant a tree
when they assassinate
your leaders
and lovers
plant a tree
when they torture you
too bad
to talk
plant a tree.
when they being to torture
the trees
and cut down the forest
they have made
start another.
Alice Walker
That’s funny – I just started reading Langston Hughes. I had heard of him but never read anything by him (oppressive fundamentalist schoolin’ and all).
And what happens when you get to the island? Is there cable there?
You are wise beyond your years, sugar.
Bad poetry is the only kind I appreciate. That makes me my favorite poet. Every other poet is simply over my head and leaves me scratching it in wonder at how positively dense I am.
just be careful that once you make it to the island, they don’t vote you off.
I’ve never read that poem before-I was always most partial to the Trancendentalists, but Hughes’ “Dreams” hung on my wall in high school-next to a picture of Def Leppard of course…
-M
Mmmmm
it’s alllll good!
I regret not having a background in poetry . . . or not having taken it seriously enough to gain one when I was growing up. Got some catching up to do I guess.