AFTER 5 DAYS RETURN TO

Les Richar
86 Convent Ave

NEW YORK. N. Y. 25

STA

469 West 164 St.
New York 32, N.Y.
July 12, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Perhaps you'll be unable to recall writing me, but I thought you
would like to know that I have begun writing verse again. Your comment
on those I submitted in 1946, was in a way, a sort of challenge to me.
I ceased temporarily, but finding my mind like a haunted house to which
my thoughts always returned when I chased them, as if they had no other
home, I registered for a course in Poetry with Mr. Clement Wood. Am now
on my fourth lesson (Foundation).

I am enclosing a few copies of some I have done to date.¹ these, you
may keep if you so desire. I shall revise later the erratic rhyming
scheme of poem GOD WILL HEAR ME. I used the word"God" because of its
high evocative appeal -- not because I believe in an anthropomorphic
deity as expressed in the Mosaic concept. As a matter of fact I sever-
ed my relations with the church many years ago because, as I observed
in my home Jamaica, B.W.I., Panama and here, the policy of compromise
it pursues in political and social matters is inimical to the cause of
truth and justice-not to mention the incalculable harm it does to the
Negro in his unequal struggle for economic, social and political in-
dependence.

I should like to say here how much I enjoyed a recent article of
yours in the Negro Digest -- THE ADVENTURES OF A POET.

I should appreciate it if you would be good enough to let me know
of any Poetry Club as I am anxious to join one in order to benefit
from the interchange of views.

¹hanking you again for your first letter and hoping that perhaps,
I may be able in the future to produce something of which you can be
proud, with my very best wishes, I remain,

Mr. Langston Hughes
634 St. Nicholas Ave.
New York 30, N.Y.

PS - Am registering letter to ensure its return in the event of your
having removed from last address.

469 West 164 St.
New York 32, N.Y.
December 15, 1943

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127th St.
New York 35, New York.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Thanks very much for your last letter and kind comments
on my effort to date in poetry.

Am glad you enjoyed your stay in Jamaica. I read your
article in the November issue of EBONY. The admirable and laud-
able spirit that motivated it will long be remembered, I am sure,
not only by those who were appreciative of the boost in prestige
but --more importantly -- by those who are struggling to promote
better understanding among Negroes wherever they may be.

I got my copy of CUBA LIBRE yesterday. Thanks for letting
me know about it as I enjoyed the author's Wake FOR PAPA MONTERO
as translated by you in Fitt's Anthology of Contemporary Latin-
American Poetry, and helped to come across some more of his works.

I want to thank you also for excerpts from your forth-
coming book, ONE WAY TICKET. When off the press may I get an auto-
graphed copy for a friend in Jamaica?

Am enclosing a few more excercises -- all Foundation --
in connection with my poetry course. Among these, I have some
untitled lines which came to me recently. I have not shown my
teacher, as he is a Southerner, and I have been unable to ascertain
his views on lynching. Please what form do you think this
could be most effectively written in when I have progressed more
and am ready to make something worthwhile of the idea. Sorry to
be a nuisance but would appreciate your opinion.

May I hope that you'll have an enjoyable Exmas and the
New Year may see the fruition of your fondest dreams,

PS.- Have been told there is a poetry group at the Harlem Branch YMCA. Will participate next year. You may keep or destroy copies.

January 21, 1949

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127th Street.
New York, New York.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I do want to thank you for the opportunity of attending the
review of the books on which you collaborated. For me, it was in-
spirational. More, perhaps, than you'd imagine.

I am awaiting my copies from Knopf and Doubleday. Hope to
have you autograph a copy of ONE WAY TICKET for friend in Jamaica,
as previously requested.

As you were so busy on that night I was unable to thank
you for your kindness in inviting me to lunch some time. I shall
be delighted and honored whenever this is most convenient for you.

Am enclosing with timidity, a few more excercises. It was
not my intention to bother you anymore, but in view of your very
kind suggestions, I thought you would like to know if had heeded
them. Being just a beginner, so to speak, in verse writing, I have --
and my teacher, too; -- concerned myself chiefly with the technical
and not the psychological aspect the desirability of which you
stressed in your letter.

PS. If you already have copy of THE STONE BLITZ ON THE CANAL
ZONE, you may return enclosed copy. LR

July 21, 1949

Dear Mr. Richards,

Your latest batch of poetry seems to me much better than any
of your manuscripts I've seen before. Certainly your work is becoming
more interesting and more effective all the time, I would say. All but
four of the poems I am returning to you with comments on the margins.
My main criticism is that if you want to write "thought" poems, it is
better to couch the thoughts in very personal or very dramatic language,
rather than in the editorial and abstract language of an essay. Words
like "truth" and "right" have been so over-used that they have no emotional
or poetic value unless in a personal or dramatic context. Used alone,
in a string of such other words, they are as boring as the average sermon
heard Sunday after Sunday and sounding just like every other sermon you've
already heard.

Congratulations on your prize! I'm delighted to hear about it.
And very pleased that you've kept on writing and are showing, in my opinion,
very marked improvement.

I am editing a special Negro Poets issue of VOICES for the fall
and would like to hold your four poems:

BED TWENTY EIGHT
BEGGAR MAN, GO HOME
MY BABY'S GONE TO JAIL
WHERE ARE THE WORSHIPPERS

for consideration for that issue. I hope to print two and possibly all
four if space permits, and if you permit, providing they have not been
published elsewhere. So would you let me know, if published or not and
if I may use them. VOICES does not pay either poets or editors, but it
is a good looking magazine and has a fairly wide circulation among poets
and editors. This Negro issue is not a "segregated" issue, as its pages
are open to all poets all the time, but they are planning a whole series of
special issues such as Canadian poets, etc., and this is one of the series.
Most of our leading poets have already sent in material.

thoughtful

It's very thoughtful of you to send the stamps! Thanks a lot!

Sincerely,

July 27, 1949

Dear Mr. Hughes,

I do want thank you for your complimentary and encouraging letter. It has really made me feel good and furnished, in a way, additional impetus to go on. I am particularly glad that much of the improvement you have noted has been due to your last letter. Strangely, I have read many textbooks on poetry, plus the comments of my instructor, Mr. Woods (this has --or, rather, these have been mainly technical), but until read your comments on MY AWARD, the know-how of creating the "visual and emotional tabuleaux" --that the poem may be "felt" resided only in the realm of theory. I would like you to know that I shall always keep that letter --even if I fail in my desire to contribute something worthwhile to poetry, and I have nothing left me but an army of aborted dreams in the years ahead-- it provided the crutch with which I have started to hobble along the rewarding path of poetry.

I am happy and flattered in your selection of my four poems for the fall publication of Voices. None of the four has been published. I read two of them at school and they were well received. The drama teacher particularly liked BEGGAR MAN, GO HOME.

At the risk of you calling me a nuisance I should appreciate it if you would let me know if Poems, MIGRANT, ESCAPE and The PROWLER--ignoring their technical imperfections -- are too "abstract." Again, if you consider POET, WHERE DO YOU STAND? purely a "thought" poem. Also if the word "truth" as used in CALL IT A TRAGEDY would, in your opinion, have any value except as a rhyming mate for youth. Would like to make sure that I have not misconstrued any of your recent comments; also, to be guided thereby for the future.

Thanking you once more and assuring you of my determination to benefit by the criticisms you have and are so generously giving in such an unselfish manner, believe me to be,

July 29, 1949

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Had forgotten to ask you in last letter if, by chance,
you have on hand any spare copies of the libretto you wrote
for TROUBLED ISLAND. I mislaid or lost my copy, and would like
to get three, two of which I plan to send abroad for friends.

Am enclosing postal note in the amount of $1.59. Will
appreciate name of publisher ( I think it is Leeds, but I'm not
sure) should you have none on hand.

Hope you'll have a pleasant week end despite this deu-
cedly hot weather.

September 12, 1949

Mr. Leo Richards
469 West 164th Street
New York 32, New York

Dear Mr. Richards:

Since some of the subject matter of poems you have sent me dealt
with Panama, I am wondering if you are a citizen of that country or
of some part of the West Indies because if you are, you would be
eligible for inclusion in an anthology of Caribbean Poetry which the
Poetry Leauge of Jamaica is compiling to be published in either this
country or England (or perhaps both) sometime within the next year.
If you are eligible for such an anthology, the address of the compiler
to whom you might submit some of your poems is:

Mr. Wycliffe S. Bennett
% H.M. Customs
Kingston, Jamaica, B.W.I.

Another source of publication for you might be the New literary magazine, THE HARLEM QUARTERLY, which is to be published shortly by The Harlem Writers Workshop of the Y.M.C.A., 180 West 135th Street, New York 30, New York, Mr. Benjamin A. Brown is in charge of this.

The perfume for my aunt came this morning and she is delighted with it.
It certainly is very kind of you to send her this charming little gift
with its sweet aroma of tropic flowers.

ESCAPE, MIGRANT, and THE PROWLER seem to me the best of the poems in
this set I'm returning, and not too abstract. The "thought" poems I
don't like much. Not my type of poetry. The hardest kind, I think, to
do successfully unless very well and originally expressed and very pro-
found (or else both profound and simple---like Emily Dickenson---at
the same time.) Thoughts and moral precepts seem to me usually much
better expressed in prose, as a rule---unless incorporated in dramatic
or picture-poem form. Some few poets can do it well, but not many.

Continues good wishes to you,

Sincerely,

RETURN ADDRESS

Leo Richards
469 West 164 St.
New York 32, N.Y.

BRONX CENTRAL
STATE 10

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127th Street
New York 35, N.Y.

August 12, 1949

Dear Mr. Hughes,

Thanks ever so much for copies of libretto. Your auto-
graphing of same was indeed a pleasant surprise.

Am enclosing a copy of my latest poem which I wrote as
an exercise. My teacher is pleased with it but I thought I'd send
you a copy to let you decide if in your opinion I have benefited
from your most helpful criticisms.

Wishing you and yours a pleasant and enjoyable week end,

GRACIE
STATION

BRONX CENTRAL
STATE
3 CENTS 3

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127 Street
New York, N.Y.

September 9, 1949

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I trust you are well. Thanks for comments on last poem submitted. I have revised as suggested. There was no special reason for using the word "light" other than for the sake of alliteration, as it was done purely as an exercise on same. Surprisingly, Mr, Wood and you thought it good.

I am enclosing under separate cover a bottle of perfume I received recently from my home. As the Island's products are regarded as novelties here, I thought maybe your aunt would not mind sampling this brand. Unfortunately, I can't praise it, as the lot I have just gotten is the first of its kind. Hope she'll like it.

Assuring you and yours of my very best wishes, believe
me to be,

Mr. Langston Hughes

20 East 127th Street

New York 35, New York

LEOPOLD RICHARDS

469 W. 164TH STREET
NEW YORK 32, N. Y.

September 24, 1949

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Thanks a lot for letting me know about proposed anthology of
Caribbean Poetry. I am a citizen of Jamaica. Worked sometime
in Panama with the Canal Zone as a checker and machinist helper.

I have submitted, as suggested, poems to Mr. Bennett and
Mr. Brown of the Harlem Writers Workshop. Hope you don't mind,
but I mentioned in both instances, that it was through your
courtesy I got the information.

I am very grateful for your criticisms of recent poems. To get
away from too abstract subjects--or rather, style; I will confine
my exercises to subjects with which I am more familiar--such as
enclosed exercise: WOMAN, YOU'RE FOOLISH. One of your recent col-
umns in the Chicago Defender wherein Simple discussed Cadillacs
demonstrates forcibly the truth you expressed in your comment that
"thoughts and moral precepts are better expressed in prose." I may
say here that I enjoyed your column ver much that week. Hope the
message got through to readers. I thought it timely and of tremen-
dous significance.

Pleased and relieved that your aunt liked perfume as I did take a
risk in sending it without knowing how good it was.

Thanks again for continued interest and good wishes.

LEOPOLD RICHARDS

February 20, 1951

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127th Street
New York City.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Very many thanks for beautifully inscribed copy of
your MONTAGE OF A DREAM DEFERRED. The present owner of CASBAH
was delighted when he saw his safe included in poem. Others to
whom I have shewn it are also pleased and tickled by your in-
imitable style and have promised to get copies. Incidentally,
I took the opportunity of plugging SIMPLE SPEAKS HIS MIND
which, unfortunately, many have not read yet.

It was quite thoughtful of you to send me copy of PHYLON.
I found it very informative.

The late Clement Wood (was his guest during last/summer)
had asked me to personally give you his best wishes for the success
of the BARRIER which unfortunately closed before the date I had
planned to see it. Somehow I feel that the critics were unsympathetic
toward the theme although they lacked the honesty to say so openly.

I won another prize last year in the annual V.F.W. contest.
Encouraged, I decided to experiment a year with national contests.
I've tied four since last October. Had to withdraw from one in which
I had been temporarily awarded 12th place as the rules had specifically
stated that only citizens may enter. Had hoped that an affidavit would
not have been required of entrants ...but same was requested. I am
at present tied -- more than 100--in the current Nomika (DAV)
$10,000 contest and am now awaiting the final tiebreaker. Am also
tied for 1st place for $1,000 in cash in another word contest. Also
got 22nd prize as I had submitted two entries. Not expecting much
from this as I was pressed for time and was unable to re-check work.
before posting. Discovered since that I wrote Wakawahie in the 4th
puzzle of tiebreaker instead of Kakawahie. This error will probably
eliminate me. Had hoped, however, to receive word before my birthday
(February 12th) but to date, have had no news.

2

31

I regret to report that I have not done much work on the play I started, with the late Clement Wood's technical assistance, as between research work for word contests and working afternoons there is little time for concentrated and serious work. I shall, however, resume work on same as soon as the tiebreaker for AWO $100,000 contest is released and disposed of....I've invested heavily in books needed for this contest and have therefore given it priority in plans. Am enclosing a few of the poems I still write occasionally

Your Christmas card was indeed beautiful with its arrestingly inspiring words. It's a pity that our business men ...and leaders for that matter are so lacking in vision. A well organized campaign to commercialize and popularize cards and other products of Negro origin would do more foster pride in Negro homes than the thousand of speeches delivered so often during Negro History Week and other occasions. So much noise is made about what the white man has failed to do, or what he should do--but what about the things we have failed biteously to do? How educational and inspirational it would be for our children and adults, too, if among the hundreds of almanacs sent out yearly by Negro firms, even one had the birthdays of our immortals marked in red. Call it propaganda, as indeed, many would ...but have not the other progressive minorities utilized it consistently and effectively for the furtherance and realization of their objectives? If it is legitimate for them to employ it, I feel it is also legitimate for us to do so also. On the subject of propaganda, it think it would have been a wise and well-timed move during History Week if even one Negro firm or group had invited Gwendolyn Brooks to New York ...to one of their dinners (they sponsor innumerable ones for lesser personalities each year) as their honored guest. I feel it would have stimulated pride and thought among the celebrants of Negro History Week and also would have assured our white friends that we are proud and appreciative of our own.

I am enclosing postal note in the mount of $2.12 for two copies of your SIMPLE SPEAKS HIS MIND. Please kindly inscribe and mail to the following friends:

Mrs. Ina St. Hill, % Ancon Dispensary, C. Z.
and
Mrs. Betty Waino, 160 West 73rd St. New York

Pleased to know your aunt liked perfume. Hope she is in good health.

Thanks a lot again.

LEOPOLD RICHARDS

April 19, 1950

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I'm sorry I'll be unable to attend Book Party on Thursday, I am however enclosing money order in the amount of $4.00 for which please send me two copies of SIMPLE SPEAKS HIS MIND. Please autograph a copy (cloth bound) for Pauline.

Do you know if the publication of EXPERIMENT has been discontinued? Have not received an issue since autumn. Should appreciate it if you would be good enough to let me have the address of the publisher. I seem to have mislaid mine.

Perhaps you have already read Clement Wood's The GLORY ROAD & EAGLE SONNETS. Am reading them for the first time and have found --particularly in the EAGLE SONNETS--much that is agitatingly beautiful and inspirational.

Am enclosing three poems. LOITERERS and THE LAST DIME, I wrote on my last birthday (Feb. 12). SHAKE...BUDDY is an experimental poem.

Hoping Book Party will be a success and all the readers of your new book will find its contents informative and entertaining, believe me, to be,

LEOPOLD RICHARDS

469 W 164TH STREET
NEW YORK 32, N. Y.

520 West 144th St.
New York 31
Apt. 32

January 31, 1952

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Am indeed sorry that your telegram reached me late due to
my change of address. Altho I'm working evenings since last
November I would have tried to attend. I do appreciate your
continued remembrance of me, I must also mention here my grati-
for your kind suggestion to Mr. P. Stevenson of the California
Quarterly Inc., from whom I heard recently. Am sending him some
material. Do think it was a majestic gesture on your part.

I must ashamedly confess that my audacious, desperate and
determined bid for economic liberation, at least, temporary,
last year, reduced my creative efforts almost to nil. I hope
however to resume same after my birthday(Feb. 12) at which time
I usually make my resolutions. Made six prizes for the year but
these fell short, financially, of my expectations --considering
the time, energy and money expended. Am happy, however, that I
made the finals in three national contests and, perhaps, would
have made a big prize were it not for the time factor which
militated against me in the finals as I had to work alone and
was therefore at a disadvantage with the experts who had a paid
staff. I don't know what I would have done with the DAV'S final
tiebreaker which reached me three days too late due also to my
change of address.

Thanking you again and hoping that you and your aunt are
enjoying good health, believe me, to be,

February 2, 1952

Mr. Leopold Richards
520 West 144th St.
New York 31, New York

Dear Mr. Richards,

I am so sorry my wire did not reach you in time for the party
as I sent it the day before and it came back to me but I re-sent it
again. Anyway there were about sixty people here, including all the
Harlem writers I know except yourself, and Juanita Hall, Edith Wilson,
W. C. Handy, Dave and Delores Martin and Lorenzo Fuller who gave us
plenty of musical entertainment, so we had fun! I missed you.

On Tuesday I am leaving for a six weeks lecture tour of the
South, from Cleveland to the Carolinas, to Florida, Alabama and Texas,
and won't be back until some time in March, but I hope to see you in
the Spring. I still have some poems of yours to comment upon, but for
several months I did not have a regular secretary, so mountains of mail
accumulated which I have not yet had a chance to peruse—but I will!

All good wishes to you.

<table><tr><td>CLASS OF SERVICE</td></tr><tr><td>This is a full-rate Telegram or Cablegram unless its deferred character is indicated by a suitable symbol above or preceding the address.</td></tr></table>

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LANGSTON HUGHES HGB

20 EAST 127TH ST NEW YORKNY

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