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Draft of Hughes' 'Ballad of Booker T.'
斯的詩:記帳員T的歌謠

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藍斯頓‧休斯 (Langston Hughes) 出生
190221


西元1941年,休斯完成一首詩作:記帳員T的歌謠 (The Ballad of Booker T) ,內容是有關於一位具爭議性的教育家柏克‧華盛頓 (Booker T. Washington) 的經歷。華盛頓是一位獲得自由的奴隸,他在1881年成為非裔美籍人士的領袖。有些人認為他對白人領袖過於妥協。休斯瞭解柏克的處境,並且在他的詩裡為柏克提出解釋:

有時候他必須在談話中妥協:

因為在人們走路前,得要先學會爬行

'85年代的阿拉巴馬

一個丑角會慶幸他還活著

問問你的家人,看看他們是不是讀過藍斯頓‧斯的詩作或小說。當你問他們這個問題時,可以請你的父母與祖父母跟你說個關於過去的故事。也許他們也會對你有所啟發。


In 1941, Hughes wrote the poem "The Ballad of Booker T" about the controversial educator, Booker T. Washington. A freed slave, Washington became a political leader for African Americans in 1881. Some people believe he was too cooperative with the white leaders. Hughes understood Booker's situation and explained it in the poem:

Sometimes he had
Compromise in his talk-
For a man must crawl
Before he can walk-
And in Alabama in '85
A joker was lucky
To be alive.

Ask your family if anyone has read poetry or stories by Langston Hughes. And while you're at it, ask your parents and grandparents to tell some stories about the past. Maybe they will inspire you.

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