Life is Fine

I went down to the river,
I sat 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!

              – Langston Hughes

• Composed by Langston Hughes (1901-1967), a Black American poet
• Written in a consistent pattern of two quatrains rhyming abcb followed by a single line that acts like a refrain
• Use of Black English dialect: ‘a-been,’ ‘livin,’ ‘gonna’

Interpretation of the Poem

The poem has an optimistic theme. The speaker tries to commit suicide, but dares not. And makes excuses for that. (It reminds us of a parable of a fox and sour grapes.) First, he talks about drowning by water, and then, jumping from a height (16 floors above), which indicate suicide attempts. The speaker attempted suicide because of some love tragedy; he seems to be depressed by/frustrated with his beloved. The words like ‘my baby,’ ‘sweet baby,’ and ‘for love’ suggest so. However, he could not overcome his fear, and so changed his mind. He decides to live and continue living, rather than killing himself. He diverts his anger and frustration from having tried to kill himself to resisting his death. By not dying he means to take revenge against his beloved who wants to see him die. So, he balances and recomposes himself, and sets forth for a carefree life as he says “Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine.” It suggests that he will take everything easy now and not be depressed again.

GLOSSARY

holler (v): to shout loudly
a-been (v): have been
elevator (n): lift
livin’ (adj): alive
dogged (adj): showing determination
gonna (v): going to