To my husband and children, hold fast to dreams and never let them die. —T.A.
“An Earth Song” originally appeared in The New Negro: An Interpretation (Albert & Charles Boni, Inc.; New York; 1925). “About Langston Hughes” © 2023 Cameron Kids Illustrations copyright © 2023 Tequitia Andrews Book design by Melissa Nelson Greenberg Published in 2023 by Cameron + Company, a division of ABRAMS. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available. ISBN: 978-1-951836-93-1 Printed in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Cameron Kids is an imprint of Cameron + Company Cameron + Company Petaluma, California www.cameronbooks.com
petite poems
AN EARTH SONG by
LANGSTON HUGHES illustrated by
TEQUITIA ANDREWS
It’s an earth song—
And I’ve been waiting long for an earth song.
It’s a spring song— And I’ve been waiting long for a spring song.
Strong as the shoots of a new plant Strong as the bursting of new buds
Strong as the coming of the first child from its mother’s womb.
It’s an earth song, A body song, A spring song,
I have been waiting long for this spring song.
AN EARTH SONG by
LANGSTON HUGHES
It’s an earth song,— And I’ve been waiting long for an earth song. It’s a spring song,— And I’ve been waiting long for a spring song. Strong as the shoots of a new plant Strong as the bursting of new buds Strong as the coming of the first child from its mother’s womb. It’s an earth song, A body song, A spring song, I have been waiting long for this spring song.
ABOUT THE POEM “An Earth Song” celebrates the coming of spring and all the new life the season brings. In the poem, Langston writes about how long he has waited and hoped for change—a sunny spring day, and perhaps a time when everyone has equal opportunity to experience freedom, joy, and peace.
ABOUT THE POET Langston Hughes was an American poet. He wrote vibrant poems about Black lives and experiences. He was especially inspired by the people of Harlem, in New York City, where he lived. Langston wrote poems about the American dream, too—the idea that absolutely everyone has the right to realize what they hope for. To learn more about Langston Hughes: Visit the Academy of American Poets, www.poets.org
Photo of Langston Hughes by Jack Delano, Library of Congress
Read The Dream Keeper and Other Poems
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Poetry is all around you—growing out of the crack of a sidewalk, warming your skin on an early spring day, or simmering on the stove—and playing with words and expressing what you see and feel are other ways to explore the world. What makes your heart sing? Write a poem about what you hope for.