Langston Hughes

American poet 1902-1967

USA 2002

"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" I've known rivers: I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the   flow of human blood in human veins. My soul has grown deep like the rivers. I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young. I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep. I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it. I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln   went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy   bosom turn all golden in the sunset. I've known rivers: Ancient, dusky rivers. My soul has grown deep like the rivers.