Mother to Son

Langston Hughes

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.

母亲致儿子

兰斯顿 休斯

噢，儿子，我来告诉你：

我的人生没有水晶般的阶梯。

那上面钉着钉子，

有碎片，

木板也是裂开的，

地面没铺地毯———

光秃秃的。

但一直以来，

我都在往上爬，

爬上楼梯平台，

爬到拐角处，

有时要摸着黑，

那里一点儿光都看不见，

所以，儿子，你不要回头。

不要在台阶上停下来。

因为这样一来，你爬起来会更艰难。

这时，不要倒下———

因为我还在继续，宝贝。

我还在往上爬，

我的人生，没有水晶般的阶梯。

About the poet:

James Mercer Langston Hughes, (February 1, 1902 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, novelist, playwright, short story writer, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best-known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance.

Note:

This poem expresses a mother’s love and encouragement to her son. Whatever the son meets, the mother will be his forever supporter. Actually, this is the inner voice of every parent.