VOICE OF THE POET Langston Hughes

The introductory harpsichord music, with its lovely lilt, is a marvelous way to meet poet Langston Hughes as he reads from his own work and reflects on how he became a poet. This moving and self-referenced work is also a poignant biography of a multitalented African-American who used American blues and jazz, as well as a variety of other musical forms, to express his beliefs, celebrate his successes, and testify to the racism he encountered as a black artist in the United States. This program is a sobering reminder of how far we've come in our progress toward equal rights for all and, perhaps, how far we have yet to travel. L.C. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 05]