Crystal Stair

"Mother to Son" 

By: Langston Hughes

Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor --
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now --
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

Authors note:

In this short response I analyze what the crystal stairs are representing in the poem “Mother to Son” and how the poem changes at a time in the story when the mother says a certain phrase.  

In this poem called “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes the crystal stairs represents a good life, a walk in the park with no obstacles to get around. The mother in this poem is telling her son about how life isn't going to be easy, there are going to be bumps in the road. The crystal stairs are smooth and obstacle free but the stairs of her and many other people were bumpy and had splinters as the mother said in the poem. When the mother said “I'se been a-climbin' on, and reachin' landin's, and turnin' corners”  that was the turning point of the poem where she turns into an inspiring speaker trying to motivate her son to keep going in life no matter what happens.