Mother to son

Langston Hughes est afro-américain. Dans ce très beau poème, il exprime la difficulté pour une mère immigrée de faire comprendre à son fils ce qu’est sa vie, ce que sera sa vie.

Mother to son

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
It has 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’m still climbin’,

And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.