As I Grew Older by Langston Hughes

It was a long time ago

I have almost forgotten my dream

But it was there then

In front of me

Bright like a sun

My dream,

And then the wall rose,

Rose slowly

Slowly,

Between me and my dream,

Rose, until it touched the sky…

The wall

Shadow,

I am Black

I lie down in the Shadow,

No longer the light of my dream before me,

Above me,

Only the thick wall

Only the shadow

My hands!

Break through the wall!

Find my dream!

Help me to shatter this darkness

To smash this night

To break this shadow

Into a thousand light of sun,

Into a thousand whirling dreams

Of sun!