The Weary Blues

His writing is so rich. Like a fine wine. One of the greatest poets in American history and so underrated.

"Fantasy in Purple" is my new favorite poem. "Beat the drums of tragedy" indeed.Mr. Hughes had a true gift for short, breathtaking, luminous poetry. I devoured this collection and am in awe of the way he had with words. I will definitely be reading more of his work.

Very honest and straightforward poetry. Moving and touching. I'm glad I found this little gem. I found it very inspiring.

Because it is Black History Month (and Florida seems to want to blot out great portions of Black History)……I decided to read some Black History. So, I started with some Langston Hughes poetry because I quite like his poetry.There is joy, passion, sadness, and grief in every one of his poems. If you haven’t read any of his poems…..you owe it to yourself to do so. So, curl up in a comfy chair with a cup of tea and read some. And then read some more. Enjoy!

The imagery of Hughes verse is stand-alone great. Add to it the lilting resonance of the reader and you will be so delighted. When I saw the title I thought I would revisit a poem I loved 60+ years ago: "I got those sad old weary blues". Now I'm wondering who wrote that one. No matter. This collection is also a prize!

Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor. He played a few chords then he sang some more— “I got the Weary Blues And I can’t be satisfied. Got the Weary Blues And can’t be satisfied— I ain’t happy no mo’ And I wish that I had died.” And far into the night he crooned that tune. The stars went out and so did the moon. The singer stopped playing and went to bed While the Weary Blues echoed through his head. He slept like a rock or a man that’s dead.Hughes argues that jazz is everywhere, encompassing the blues and rock and roll. To those who would deny the connections between musical traditions, Hughes states, “Jazz is a great big sea. It washes up all kinds of fish and shells and spume and waves with a steady old beat, or off-beat.”Langston Hughes, “Jazz as Communication” from The Collected Works of Langston Hughes, published by University of Missouri Press, wrote more on this idea – “Now, to wind it all up, with you in the middle—jazz is only what you yourself get out of it. Louis’s famous quote—or misquote probably—“Lady, if you have to ask what it is, you’ll never know.” Well, I wouldn’t be so positive. The lady just might know—without being able to let loose the cry—to follow through—to light up before the fuse blows out. To me jazz is a montage of a dream deferred. A great big dream—yet to come—and always yet—to become ultimately and finally true.”Yes. This is it, precisely.

A lovely collection of some of Mr. Hughes’ works. I am looking forward to reading more of his poems. Superb writing.

I don’t typically read poetry because it’s not my particular cup of tea. I’m drawn more to fictional stories and some nonfiction as well; poetry just hasn’t resonated with me as much. However, I do have an appreciation for the author’s writing style and skill. The poems are not overly cryptic or ones that require an English degree to interpret. I would recommend this to anybody who is looking to read more poetry or is just getting started with poetry.

I wish I could write poetry like this.Maybe I will, but it could take a considerable amount of time.Excellent.

Muy decepcionadas por las condiciones en las que se encuentra el libro. Lo compré, me llegó con la solapa rozada y rota por todas las esquinas. Pedí reemplazo del producto y me volvió a llegar en las mismas condiciones. Es inaceptable que un libro nuevo llegue en estas condiciones, y no es l primera vez que me pasa... sinceramente estoy pensando en devolver de nuevo el libro, tiñen que plantearse la forma de almacenar y tratar los libros.

A delightful book reflecting earlier times.

These poems are short and easy to read yet they spoke to me in a way that poetry rarely does.

I knew the author but had not read thus. I felt humbled and blessed! What beautiful poems; some are short yet all the more evocative. It’s a treasure to keep and revisit, often.