by Langston Hughes (1902 - 1967)

Language: English 
Mama remembers the four-leaf clover
And the bright blue Irish sky,
I remember East River Parkway
And the tugboats passing by.
I remember Third Avenue
And the "L" trains overhead,
And our one window-sill geranium
Blooming red, warm and red.
Mama remembers Ireland;
All I remember is here.

Papa remembers the plains of Poland
And moonlight on the snow,
I remember autumn
With the skyscrapers all aglow.
I remember the games we played
With lamplight overhead,
And our one window-sill geranium
Blooming red, warm and red.

All I remember is here
This house, this street, this city,
And it's dear, yes, it's dear!

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Composition:

    Set to music by Elie Siegmeister (1909 - 1991), "Childhood Memories", 1974, copyright © 1975, from A Cycle of Cities, cycle formerly known as Two Songs of the City (June 29, 1951)

Text Authorship:

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Researcher for this page: Leonard Lehrman

This text was added to the website: 2010-01-12
Line count: 21
Word count: 103