Life is Fine

While digging through one of several still-unpacked boxes looking for a picture, I came across this poem by Langston Hughes. My first year of college, 1200 miles from home, I had taped this to my dorm room wall, but haven't really thought about it in the last ten years or so.

I never found the picture I was looking for tonight, but I'm glad I stumbled across this poem. I thought I'd share the poem here, not for inspiration or anything really, but just because I like it and don't want to wait another decade before finding/remembering it.

I went down to the river,
I set down on the bank.
I tried to think but couldn't,
So I jumped in and sank

I came up once and hollered!
I came up twice and cried!
If that water hadn't a-been so cold
I might've sunk and died.

     But it was     Cold in that water!     It was cold!

I took the elevator
Sixteen floors above the ground.
I thought about my baby
And thought I would jump down.

I stood there and I hollered!
I stood there and I cried!
If it hadn't a-been so high
I might've jumped and died.

     But it was     High up there!     It was high!

So since I'm still here livin',
I guess I will live on.
I could've died for love--
But for livin' I was born

Though you may hear me holler,
And you may see me cry--
I'll be dogged, sweet baby,
If you gonna see me die.

     Life is fine!     Fine as wine!     Life is fine!

***

Good night :)