<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">Mother to Son</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35); min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">Well, son, I’ll tell you:</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">It’s had tacks in it,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">And splinters,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">And boards torn up,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">And places with no carpet on the floor—</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">Bare.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">But all the time</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">I’se been a-climbin’ on,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">And reachin’ landin’s,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">And turnin’ corners,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">And sometimes goin’ in the dark</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">Where there ain’t been no light.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">So boy, don’t you turn back.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">Don’t you set down on the steps</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">Don’t you fall now—</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">For I’se still goin’, honey,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">I’se still climbin’,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="">And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35); min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- Langston Hughes</div></body></html>