Langston+Hughes+Poetry


 * Langston Hughes was a poet, writer, and political activist born in the early 1900s. His work mainly focused on struggles faced by African-Americans living during the mid 1900s. Read the poem below that you are assigned and think about what it suggests about dreams. **


 * “A Dream Deferred” **

"What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over-- Like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags Like a heavy load.

//Or does it explode?//"


 * “Dreams” **

Hold fast to dreams  For if dreams die <span style="color: #141471; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> Life is a broken-winged bird <span style="color: #141471; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> That cannot fly. <span style="color: #141471; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">Hold fast to dreams <span style="color: #141471; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"> For when dreams go <span style="color: #141471; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"> Life is a barren field <span style="color: #141471; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"> Frozen with snow.