by Langston Hughes (1901 - 1967)

Language: English 
Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor --
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now --
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

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Composition:

    Set to music by Gwyneth Walker (b. 1947), "Mother to Son", 2007, copyright © 2016 [ soprano or women's chorus and piano ], E.C. Schirmer Music Company
        Score: ECS Publishing [external link]

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-08-27
Line count: 20
Word count: 99