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Langston Hughes’s “Theme for English B” Lyrics by Dworden

ENGL 297 (Daniel Worden)

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The instructor said,
      Go home and write
      A page tonight
      And let that page come out of you--
      Then, it will be true.
I wonder if it's that simple?
I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem.
I went to school there, then Durham, then here
To this college on the hill above Harlem.
I am the only colored student in my class.
The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem
Through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas,
Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y,
The Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator
Up to my room, sit down, and write this page:
It's not easy to know what is true for you or me
At twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what
I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:
Hear you, hear me--we two--you, me, talk on this page.
(I hear New York, too.) Me--who?
Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.
I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.
I like a pipe for a Christmas present,
Or records--Bessie, bop, or Bach.
I guess being colored doesn't make me NOT like
The same things other folks like who are other races
So will my page be colored that I write?
Being me, it will not be white.
But it will be
A part of you, instructor.
You are white--
Yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.
That's American.
Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me.
Nor do I often want to be a part of you
But we are, that's true!
As I learn from you,
I guess you learn from me--
Although you're older--and white--
And somewhat more free.
This is my page for English B.
Credits
Dworden

Dworden

About “Langston Hughes’s “Theme for English B”” by Dworden

Read the complete lyrics to "Langston Hughes’s “Theme for English B”" by Dworden from the album "ENGL 297 (Daniel Worden)". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"Langston Hughes’s “Theme for English B”" is performed by Dworden. from the album "ENGL 297 (Daniel Worden)" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Langston Hughes’s “Theme for English B”", explore more songs by Dworden using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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"Langston Hughes’s “Theme for English B”" appears on "ENGL 297 (Daniel Worden)".

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