Poetry, VOLUME 12

James Weldon Johnson: Five Favorite Poems

Today (June 17) marks the birthday of James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), who was not only a poet, but  also a distinguished educator and diplomat…

Here are five of our favorite poems by him…

Mother Night
James Weldon Johnson

Eternities before the first-born day,
Or ere the first sun fledged his wings of flame,
Calm Night, the everlasting and the same,
A brooding mother over chaos lay.
And whirling suns shall blaze and then decay,
Shall run their fiery courses and then claim
The haven of the darkness whence they came;
Back to Nirvanic peace shall grope their way.

So when my feeble sun of life burns out,
And sounded is the hour for my long sleep,
I shall, full weary of the feverish light,
Welcome the darkness without fear or doubt,
And heavy-lidded, I shall softly creep
Into the quiet bosom of the Night.

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