1 min read 142 words Updated Apr 13, 2026 Created Apr 13, 2026

Langston Hughes

We should have a land of sun,
Of gorgeous sun,
And a land of fragrant water
Where the twilight is a soft bandanna handkerchief
Of rose and gold,
And not this land
Where life is cold.

We should have a land of trees,
Of tall thick trees,
Bowed down with chattering parrots
Brilliant as the day,
And not this land where birds are gray.

Ah, we should have a land of joy,
Of love and joy and wine and song,
And not this land where joy is wrong.


appeared in:

동광 vol. 30 (1932/01) as 우리의 땅, tl. 한흑구
신인문학 vol. 2, issue 2 (1935/01) as Our Land (신인문학) and 우리들의국토 (신인문학 2.2), tl. 노자영
신인문학 vol. 2, issue 4 (1935/06) as 우리들의국토 (신인문학 2.4), tl. 노자영

조선일보 (1934.01.13) in 흑인문학, 니그로문학의 성장, tl. 한설야

accessed 2022/10/31, from poets.org