Langston Hughes

Love Song for Lucinda

Love Song for Lucinda - meaning Summary

Three Brief Metaphors of Love

The poem presents three concise metaphors—love as a ripe plum, a bright star, and a high mountain—each warning about pleasure, pain, and danger inherent in love. Each stanza pairs attraction with a caution: savoring leads to enchantment, staring leads to hurt, climbing leads to losing breath. The tone is didactic and measured, emphasizing restraint and awareness rather than romantic idealization. Short lines mirror the poem's simple, aphoristic voice.

Read Complete Analyses

Love Is a ripe plum Growing on a purple tree. Taste it once And the spell of its enchantment Will never let you be. Love Is a bright star Glowing in far Southern skies. Look too hard And its burning flame Will always hurt your eyes. Love Is a high mountain Stark in a windy sky. If you Would never lose your breath Do not climb too high.

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