The Negro Mother Poem. Langston Hughes’ poem The Negro Mother is a powerful monologue in which an elderly Black woman speaks to future generations, sharing her pain, perseverance, and hope for a better future. The poem embodies the voice of an enslaved woman who endured immense suffering but remained steadfast in her dream of freedom and equality.
I hope you have read the poem: Let America be America Again by Langston Hughes
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The Negro Mother Poem Lyrics
Children, I come back today
~ The Negro Mother Poem by Langston Hughes
To tell you a story of the long dark way
That I had to climb, that I had to know
In order that the race might live and grow.
Look at my face — dark as the night —
Yet shining like the sun with love’s true light.
I am the dark girl who crossed the red sea
Carrying in my body the seed of the free.
I am the woman who worked in the field
Bringing the cotton and the corn to yield.
I am the one who labored as a slave,
Beaten and mistreated for the work that I gave —
Children sold away from me, I’m husband sold, too.
No safety , no love, no respect was I due.
Three hundred years in the deepest South:
But God put a song and a prayer in my mouth .
God put a dream like steel in my soul.
Now, through my children, I’m reaching the goal.
Now, through my children, young and free,
I realized the blessing deed to me.
I couldn’t read then. I couldn’t write.
I had nothing, back there in the night.
Sometimes, the valley was filled with tears,
But I kept trudging on through the lonely years.
Sometimes, the road was hot with the sun,
But I had to keep on till my work was done:
I had to keep on! No stopping for me —
I was the seed of the coming Free.
I nourished the dream that nothing could smother
Deep in my breast — the Negro mother.
I had only hope then , but now through you,
Dark ones of today, my dreams must come true:
All you dark children in the world out there,
Remember my sweat, my pain, my despair.
Remember my years, heavy with sorrow —
And make of those years a torch for tomorrow.
Make of my pass a road to the light
Out of the darkness, the ignorance, the night.
Lift high my banner out of the dust.
Stand like free men supporting my trust.
Believe in the right, let none push you back.
Remember the whip and the slaver’s track.
Remember how the strong in struggle and strife
Still bar you the way, and deny you life —
But march ever forward, breaking down bars.
Look ever upward at the sun and the stars.
Oh, my dark children, may my dreams and my prayers
Impel you forever up the great stairs —
For I will be with you till no white brother
Dares keep down the children of the Negro Mother.
I hope you have read the poem: Let America be America Again by Langston Hughes
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Stanza-by-Stanza Breakdown of The Negro Mother Poem
The Negro Mother Poem Stanza 1: Introduction and Purpose
“Children, I come back today
To tell you a story of the long dark way
That I had to climb, that I had to know
In order that the race might live and grow.”
The poem opens with the speaker addressing the younger generation. She refers to herself as a mother figure returning to share the struggles she faced so that future generations can understand their history and continue the journey toward progress.
The Negro Mother Poem Stanza 2: Identity and Symbolism
“Look at my face—dark as the night—
Yet shining like the sun with love’s true light.”
Here, the speaker acknowledges her dark skin, which has historically been a source of oppression, but she transforms it into a symbol of strength and resilience. She emphasizes that despite hardship, she carries an inner light of love and determination.
The Negro Mother Poem Stanza 3-4: The Burdens of Slavery
“I am the dark girl who crossed the Red Sea
Carrying in my body the seed of the free.
I am the woman who worked in the field
Bringing the cotton and the corn to yield.”
By referencing the Red Sea, the speaker aligns herself with the biblical story of Moses leading the Israelites to freedom, suggesting that her people, too, will find liberation. She describes her labor under slavery, growing crops for others while receiving no reward for her work.
The Negro Mother Poem Stanza 5: Separation and Loss
“Children sold away from me, my husband sold, too.
No safety, no love, no respect was I due.”
This stanza conveys one of the most heart-wrenching aspects of slavery—the forced separation of families. The speaker endured immense emotional and physical pain, yet society did not value her suffering.
The Negro Mother Poem Stanza 6: Faith and Hope Amid Hardship
“Three hundred years in the deepest South:
But God put a song and a prayer in my mouth.
God put a dream like steel in my soul.”
Despite centuries of suffering, the speaker clung to faith and hope. The “dream like steel” represents her unbreakable spirit, which was passed down to future generations.
The Negro Mother Poem Stanza 7-8: The Struggles and Endurance
“I couldn’t read then. I couldn’t write.
I had nothing, back there in the night.
Sometimes, the valley was filled with tears,
But I kept trudging on through the lonely years.”
She highlights how enslaved people were denied education and opportunities, forcing them into ignorance. Yet, she endured, walking through sorrow and loneliness without giving up.
The Negro Mother Poem Stanza 9: The Legacy of Strength
“I had to keep on! No stopping for me—
I was the seed of the coming Free.”
The speaker sees herself as a foundation for future progress. Though she lived through pain, her sacrifices allowed future generations to fight for freedom.
The Negro Mother Poem Stanza 10-11: Call to Action
“I had only hope then, but now through you,
Dark ones of today, my dreams must come true.”
She passes the responsibility to the younger generation, urging them to continue the fight for justice. Her suffering should not be in vain—future generations must carry her dreams forward.
The Negro Mother Poem Stanza 12-13: Lessons from the Past
“Remember my sweat, my pain, my despair.
Remember my years, heavy with sorrow—
And make of those years a torch for tomorrow.”
She warns them never to forget their history. The pain and struggle of the past should serve as a guiding light toward a better future.
The Negro Mother Poem Stanza 14-16: Marching Forward
“Stand like free men supporting my trust.
Believe in the right, let none push you back.
Remember the whip and the slaver’s track.”
The speaker calls for resistance and resilience. She urges the younger generation to stand strong, remember past injustices, and never allow oppression to continue.
The Negro Mother Poem Stanza 17-18: A Hopeful Future
“Oh, my dark children, may my dreams and my prayers
Impel you forever up the great stairs—
For I will be with you till no white brother
Dares keep down the children of the Negro Mother.”
In the final lines, the speaker expresses hope for an ultimate victory over racism and oppression. She reassures the younger generation that she will always be with them in spirit as they continue to rise.
I hope you have read the poem: Let America be America Again by Langston Hughes
Back to Poets and Poetry Page
Themes in The Negro Mother
- Resilience and Endurance – The poem highlights the struggles of Black people, especially Black women, throughout history and their ability to persist despite unimaginable hardships.
- Hope and Progress – Despite the dark past, the speaker believes in a better future through the efforts of younger generations.
- The Power of Legacy – The poem emphasizes that the sacrifices of the past should serve as motivation for future generations to achieve justice and equality.
- Education and Knowledge – The speaker acknowledges her lack of formal education but encourages younger generations to seek knowledge and empowerment.
Conclusion
The Negro Mother is a deeply moving poem that gives voice to the unheard struggles of Black women in history. Langston Hughes crafts a character who embodies the pain, endurance, and unshakable hope of generations past. The poem serves as both a reminder of history’s injustices and a powerful call to action, urging future generations to honor their ancestors’ sacrifices by continuing the fight for freedom and equality.
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