A POEM FOR JACQUES ROUMAIN
(Late Poet of Haiti)

by
Langston Hughes

When did you
Find out about the world,
Jacques?

You certainly found out about it
Before you went away.

When did you learn to say,
Without fear or shame,
*Je suis communiste*?

You had no job to lose
But you had
What lots of people think
Is more.

None amounted to much,
Though, did it?
When did you realize that?

I can't answer for you,
And you are gone.

You are gone--

Have gone--

Are gone--

You've gone.

File copy
March 25, 1945

Sent to
Mercer's Court
Rene Piquion
New Mases
Hernie Demont
Walt Carmon
Arna Bontemps
Yale
Nancy Cunard

When did you learn
That nobody's
anyone
When the least is
left behind?