Langston Hughes recital in Sana’a [Archives:2006/934/Culture]

March 30 ) The Oriental Cultural Organization held a recital at the Culture House in Sana'a, in which U.S. professor Marilyn Putton recited 14 poems by black American poet Langston Hughes, while Dr. Abdul-Wahab Al-Maqaleh read their Arabic translations.

Putton and colleague professor Dick came to Yemen, visiting Sana'a University's Faculty of Languages where they conducted a three-day English language teaching workshop. Al-Maqaleh seized the opportunity and suggested holding the poetry recital.

Following the recital, the audience expressed satisfaction with such an activity, praising it as “a distinctive cultural contact.”

“I kept listening to the poems while I was contemplating the picture of the black poet with his friendly smile,” one attendee said.

Putton said Hughes liked to travel and he traveled a lot. “I don't think he came to Yemen, but now he has come in another way.”

Prior to the recital, Putton introduced the poet and his contribution to liberation of his fellow black men, as well as the profoundly humanistic aspects of his poetry.

Among poems recited were: “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” “Mother to Son” and “Dream Keeper.”
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