Mule Bone by Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston

Before I even start to pen this blog, let me just warn you that I am bias towards Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes; two of my favorite writers of all time. This blog is even named after Langston’s autobiography The Big Sea. So, on this blog, Zora and Langston can do no wrong.

I read Mule Bone again in preparation for the Food and Folklore series at Eatonville restaurant in Washington DC, and My People, I must admit that I laughed out loud while reading certain parts of this short but mighty play.

The writing of this play caused Langston and Zora, who were very close friends, to die without speaking to each other. The version of the play that I read tries to make some sense of the Mule Bone controversy by adding excerpts from the biographies of both Langston and Zora and the many letters that were passed around about the play. (Boy did I enjoy those letter!) You know how you may be friends with someone and many little things may transpire that may not sit right with you, and you never address those issues? Then, this one thing happens that's really not that big of a deal, but it allows a whole bunch of other stuff to come up? Well, this is what I think happened with Mule Bone. The Mule Bone controversy was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

If you have read Their Eyes Were Watching God, then you know about this character Joe Clarke who was the mayor of an all Black incorporated city in that novel. Well, that town and Joe Clarke are in Mule Bone as well the southern dialect that is in lots of Zora’s writings. A man has hurt another man by hitting him with a mule bone, and they take him to court to see if they can put a guy out of town for hitting another guy with a mule bone. And, My People, the silliness of it all is quite comical.

What I absolutely love about the writings of Langston and Zora is their commitment to telling the stories and feelings of ordinary people. So, I just love the idea that this play is simply called Mule Bone, and I love that it is about common, everyday people. This is a play that I wish that they could have continued to work on and even completed, but things work out the way they are suppose to.

At the discussion of this book at Eatonville restaurant, besides myself, there were five other women, which included the scholar who led the discussion, one man, and plenty of good food. We laughed and talked and ate and discussed Zora and Langston’s Mule Bone and so many other topics. It was so good for my soul to be with other people who love Zora and Langston and wanted to spend the evening talking about and appreciating them.

You know that I love to take care of my body, but I have learned that taking care of my soul is just as important, and the Food and Folklore series at Eatonville restaurant is all about the soul....

My People, when you need a good laugh, try Mule Bone; it might be the food that your soul is craving.

Happy Saturday!

Two Reasons To Smile Today!

Love this picture of Langston!

Today, February 1st, is the first day of Black History Month, and It's Langston Hughes' Birthday!

"Cross" by Langston Hughes

My old man's a white old man

And my old mother's black.

If ever I cursed my white old man

I take my curses back.

If ever I cursed my black old mother

And wished she were in hell,

I'm sorry for that evil wish

And now I wish her well

My old man died in a fine big house.

My ma died in a shack.

I wonder where I'm going to die,

Being neither white nor black? 

Two Reasons To Smile Today.....

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

School is back in, and my thinking cap is back on.

Over the summer, I was in a relaxed state of mind, and I found it very difficult to do any type of really deep, analytic thinking. My brain desperately needed a break.

Now, I have put my thinking cap back on, and my desire to read is great. Yesterday, I sat outside of Wholefoods, one of my favorite places on my street, and I finished reading Of Mice and Men. As soon as I was finished, I wanted to read something else...I'M BACK!!!!

Of Mice and Men falls in the novella category, which means that is longer than a short story but shorter than a novel, and it is a mind blowing read. It deals with mental illness, racism, what a person will do for love, dreams etc.

George and Lennie, are the main characters, and they are chasing their dreams. As I was reading this, I was thinking about the power of dreaming, and how dreaming helps many of us to move forward, and it sure helped George and Lennie. At the commemorative March on Washington, Al Sharpton stated that dreaming is for people who do not like reality, and I have thought a lot about this statement since the March, and I thought about Al's statement as I read Of Mice and Men.

Dreams by Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow. 

I will be teaching this novella to my 10th grade students this year. I can't wait to hear their thoughts about this very interesting book.

Read and fall in love with Of Mice and Men.

My next read is Daisy Miller by Henry James, Join Me!

Hold Fast To Dreams......

This man and his gift for writing have been on my mind lately....

I love me some Langston Hughes!

Happy Thursday, My People.

Langston Hughes' Birthday

Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes

It never ceases to amaze me that someone who is still living knew Langston Hughes: The People's Poet!

Maya Angelou knew Langston Hughes! My, My, My....

Friday night I stood in line, in the freezing cold, for quite a long time, in order to see Johnnetta Cole, director of the National Museum of African Art, have a discussion with Maya Angelou. (Oh! What a treat!)

During the question and answer time, someone got up and stated that Friday, February 1st was Langston Hughes' birthday.

Oh My! How did I miss that?

This entire blog is written in the spirit of Langston and his autobiography The Big Sea......

Sooooo, Happy Belated Birthday Langston!

I will leave you with Langston Hughes reciting one of my favorite poems that was written by him: "The Negro Speaks of Rivers."

Let's Do this People!

One of the Many Things That Makes My Heart Glad!

Image of Langston that I projected on the Smartboard!

People, just know, that I love Langston Hughes. I teach a short story by Langston titled "Thank You M'am" to my 9th grade students every year. Not only is it pleasant to read, but there are so many good lessons in this very short, short story (Two pages).

Before, we read this story, I tell the students about Langston Hughes, and know that, just talking about him makes me happy, and this joy normally rubs off on my students.

I projected his picture from the Smartboard, I recited his poems to them, and the class did a choral reading of one of his poems. (They really got a kick out of that.)

This year, I told them about this restaurant in DC that is named for Langston Hughes called Busboy and Poet. I told them that Langston was a busboy/poet right here in this great city of Washington D.C.

A few of the students had been to the restaurant before but did not know the Langston connection.

So, Today, one of my students came to my desk smiling real hard.

She said:

"Ms. Stallworth, I went to the restaurant Busboy and Poet this weekend."

My heart did a flip. I asked her many questions, and she was very excited to share the experience. She even shared the experience with the entire class.

She said:

"Ms. Stallworth, I have proof that I went there."

I said: "Show me."

She pulled out a picture of her with her brother at the restaurant and a picture of her holding The Selected Poems of Langston Hughes in the bookstore that's in the restaurant.

WOW!

I am so happy that I was able to pour my love for Langston onto this child.

I really hope that she passes the love on.

(Can't show the picture that she gave me; I must respect her privacy.)

How Long Should We Wait?

Today, I have been thinking a lot about waiting. Many of us have been waiting a long time for things that we want. Eventually, we have to stop waiting and really put our energy and time in the things that we desire: a new job, more free time, peace, a new boyfriend/girlfriend, a healthier life style etc. However, I'm not saying to go walk up to that woman or man that you desire and claim them. We got to use some common sense with this thing.

But today just might be the day for you and me to act.

The following poem by Langston Hughes is a great example of what I am talking about.

Democracy by Langston Hughes

Democracy will not come
Today, this year
   Nor ever
Through compromise and fear.

I have as much right
As the other fellow has
  To stand
On my two feet
And own the land.

I tire so of hearing people say,
Let things take their course.
Tomorrow is another day.
I do not need my freedom when I'm dead.
I cannot live on tomorrow's bread.

      Freedom
      Is a strong seed
      Planted
      In a great need.

      I live here, too.
      I want freedom
      Just as you.


WOW!  Today just might be the day.........

Joplin, Missouri

   

I've been watching and hearing about the devastating tornadoes that hit Joplin, Missouri. I've never visited Joplin, Missouri, but something about the name really rung a bell. Then, I had that ah ha moment: Joplin, Missouri is the birth place of Langston Hughes.


I really wonder what would happen if Langston Hughes' name was attached to this devastating storm in Joplin, Missouri?  Would the literary giants all come together and do some type of benefit concert? Let's try and  envision the benefit concert: Nikki Giovanni would recite a poem about the devastation and say something radical about the media and their lack of attention given to Joplin.  Maya Angelou would stand and say "behold, behold" and many other heartfelt words that would make the relief money pour into Joplin.  There would be many other local and well known writers who would stand and say radical and not so radical poems, and it would end with thousands holding candles and raising tons of money in the memory of Langston Hughes to benefit the victims of Joplin, Missouri.

Does anyone else out there ever have these random thoughts and ideas. Holler at me!

Maya Angelou