101 Poems, Number 59

Favorite Poems Throughout My Life

59: “Mother to Son,” 1922, by Langston Hughes (1902–67)

I met this poem years ago—

And when I read it, seemed to know—

Or learn—some things about the heart—

And motherhood—the teaching part.

For Hughes has captured here the voice

Of hope—and how we make the choice

To climb the stairs that we can see—

Or just surrender—choose to be

What we are now instead of what

We could become—be undercut

By our own failure to pursue

The futures there for me, for you.

Not many climb a crystal stair—

I never saw one rising there—

But many face a daunting climb

And know their dreams may take some time.

The mother here just warns her son:

Oh, do not stop what you’ve begun.

For me, she says, life has been hard—

I’ve reached this landing, weary, scarred.

So keep on moving, my dear son.

A struggle’s there—it must be won.

When you succeed (as you will do),

You’ll hear your mother, cheering you.

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/mother-to-son