"Dreams" by Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
Langston Hughes' poetry "Dreams" is a powerful and concise poem about the significance of keeping on to one's dreams and aspirations.
The poem begins with an imperative tone, telling the reader to "hold fast to dreams," implying that dreams are important and should be held on tenaciously. Hughes likens the possibility of a lost dream to a "broken-winged bird / That cannot fly." This simile powerfully depicts the idea that without dreams, life is hampered and unable to soar or reach its full potential.
Hughes emphasizes the value of dreams in the second verse by picturing their absence as a lonely landscape, comparing it to "a barren field / Frozen with snow." This imagery implies that a life devoid of dreams is cold, empty, and lacking in vitality or progress.
Overall, the poem serves as a reminder of the importance of dreams in providing life meaning, direction, and optimism. It underlines the importance of cherishing and nurturing our dreams, which are necessary for our personal fulfillment and the richness of our existence.
