I hate to make poetry into a lesson but to really understand someone's writings, one has to know the context and times they are wiriting in. For those that don't know, Langston Hughes was an Afro-american poet who wrote during the times of slavery. His poetry was almost always political in its message... here is one poem by him that i love..

Children's Rhymes

By what sends
the white kids
I ain't sent:
I know I can't
be President.

What don't bug
them white kids
sure bugs me:
We know everybody
ain't free.

Lies written down
for white folks
ain't for us a-tall:
Liberty And Justice--
Huh!--For All?

-- Langston Hughes

so simple.. so deep... so beautiful..