“For Russell and Rowena Jelliffe” by Langston Hughes

For Russell and Rowena Jelliffe
by Langston Hughes

And so the seed
Becomes a flower
And in its hour
Reproduces dreams
And flowers.

And so the root
Becomes a trunk
And then a tree
And seeds of trees
And springtime sap
And summer shade
And autumn leaves
And shape of poems
And dreams–
More than tree.

And so it is
With those who make
Of life a flower,
A tree, a dream
Reproducing (on into
Its own and mine
And your infinity)
Its beauty and its life
In you and me.

And so it was
And is with you:
The seed, the flower,
The root, the tree,
The dream, the you.

       This poem I make

       (From poems you made)

       For you.

I remember this yellow front cover of a book I saw once in my mom and dad's room.  It was a book of poems by Langston Hughes, a poet whom I think my mom liked.  I never read that book, and I don't know if she still has it, but for some reason I remember it all these years later.

There are more well-known Hughes poems--"Let America Be America Again" and "Theme for English B" but I like this poem because it celebrates two people in Hughes life that helped him in his career--who inspired him and contributed to his success with their endeavors.

Russell and Rowena Jeliffe were graduates of Oberlin College and created the Playhouse Settlement in Cleveland, Ohio (now known as Karamu House.)  It was a place where many different people of various socio-economic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds could come together through the arts, and served as a stage for many of the prominent figures of the Harlem Renaissance, including Langston Hughes.

I love that Hughes saw their efforts as a growing thing--an inspirational endeavor that touched the lives of so many others in the world--and still does.  That he knew this would be so ("Reproducing (on into/Its own and mine/And your infinity)")--that his words still reach even me across the years, is a beautiful testament to how art, and music, and words (both written and performed,) can create something so much larger than itself through the lives they touch and inspire.  I love the idea that we are seeds and flowers and trees and dreams--our lives echoing on in the lives of others.  And so, for me this poem is especially profound.

While I was researching this, I found out that Langston Hughes' birthday was February 1st.  I wish I had known then!  I'd have posted this on his birthday, but I imagine I won't soon forget it.  Still, I hope you will offer him a special happy birthday today (a little late,) and consider looking at some of his other poems.

If you'd like to learn more, you can find Langston Hughes poetry here.

Langston Hughes

Rowena and Russell Jeliffe