Langston Hughes and Galway Kinnell

Yesterday was the birthdays of two formidable poets of the 20th century: Langston Hughes and Galway Kinnell. In honor of their work, here are a couple of poems.

Passing Love

Because you are to me a song
I must not sing you over-long.

Because you are to me a prayer
I cannot say you everywhere.

Because you are to me a rose-
You will not stay when summer goes.

Langston Hughes

Cemetery Angels

On these cold days,
they stand over
our dead, who will
erupt into flower as soon
as memory and human shape
rot out of them, each bent
forward and with wings
partly opened as though
warming itself at a fire.

Galway Kinnell

Here's a beautiful impressionistic rendering of Langston Hughes's seminal poem, "Weary Blues."





Galway Kinnell follows, reading his poem "Rapture" from Imperfect Thirst:






best,
Don