As I Grew Older; I, Too

poet Langston Hughes
 #7 on top 500 poets
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 Poems by Langston Hughes: 6 / 96
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 As I Grew Older
 It was a long time ago.
 I have almost forgotten my dream.
 But it was there then,
 In front of me,
 Bright like a sun—
 My dream.
 And then the wall rose,
 Rose slowly,
 Slowly,
 Between me and my dream.
 Rose until it touched the sky—
 The wall.
 Shadow.
 I am black.
 I lie down in the shadow.
 No longer the light of my dream before me,
 Above me.
 Only the thick wall.
 Only the shadow.
 My hands!
 My dark hands!
 Break through the wall!
 Find my dream!
 Help me to shatter this darkness,
 To smash this night,
 To break this shadow
 Into a thousand lights of sun,
 Into a thousand whirling dreams
 Of sun!