Mick's Poem of the Day

Life is Fine
by Langston Hughes 

I went down to the river,
I set down on the bank.
I tried to think but couldn't,
So I jumped in and sank.

I came up once and hollered!
I came up twice and cried!
If that water hadn't a-been so cold
I might've sunk and died.

But it was Cold in that water! It was cold!

I took the elevator
Sixteen floors above the ground.
I thought about my baby
And thought I would jump down.

I stood there and I hollered!
I stood there and I cried!
If it hadn't a-been so high
I might've jumped and died.

But it was High up there! It was high!

So since I'm still here livin',
I guess I will live on.
I could've died for love--
But for livin' I was born

Though you may hear me holler,
And you may see me cry--
I'll be dogged, sweet baby,
If you gonna see me die.

Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine!

Reasoning: I chose this poem because of the personal transformation that the author undergoes.  In the beginning of the poem, he thinks he wants to kill himself in some way, however, by the end of the poem, Hughes states that, "I couldve died for love-- but for livin' I was born." He realizes that he has much more to live for, and there are more important things in life than this one love that he decided to not kill himself for.