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“Dreams”
Langston Hughes
 Born February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri.
 He had a difficult childhood
 He was raised by his grandmother until he was 13.
 He then moved to Lincoln, Illinois where he began writing poetry.
 After graduating high school he spent a year in Mexico and a year at
Columbia University
 In November 1924, he finished his book of poetry.
 Subsequently, he wrote his second novel in 1930 and won the Harmon
gold medal.
 He later died of prostate cancer in May 22, 1967.

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.
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“Dreams” is only two stanzas and eight lines long, but 'Dreams' offers some basic
instructions to those who read it: keep hold of your dreams, because without them
the world can be a brutal world. Let's analyze the poem.
Hughes starts out by immediately admonishing readers with a simple piece of
advice: to 'hold fast' to your dreams. These aren't the types of dreams you have at
night while you're fast asleep, but rather the dreams of your future, the things you
hope for, or the goals you want to achieve.
The author continues by telling us what will happen if we allow our dreams to die.
Life overall, he says, is a 'broken-winged bird that cannot fly.' That's pretty dire
imagery, isn't it? Essentially, the author is saying that dreams help to give our lives
purpose and meaning, and without them, life is harsh and difficult.
In the second stanza, Hughes again urges readers to hold fast to their dreams. In
this instance, the author compares the loss of a dream to living in a cold and barren
field. Have you ever been out in a cold and barren field? There's no life, no joy,
and nothing grows.

Analysis of 'Dreams'
Langston Hughes uses a few techniques aside from the language he has chosen to
help drive home the importance of his message.
First, the brevity of the poem itself tells us that Hughes feels a sense of urgency
when relaying this message. He has chosen his words carefully and deliberately to
help the reader understand the importance of having dreams and holding on tight to
them.
He uses a literary device known as metaphors, or a comparison between two
separate things. For example,
-“Life is a broken-winged bird/ That cannot fly” (3-4)
- “Life is a barren field/ Frozen with snow” (7-8)
Life without dreams is a 'broken-winged bird' and later a 'barren field.' These are
both stark and melancholy images, aren't they? The words 'broken-winged bird'
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paint a picture of a hurt or injured bird struggling to fly. The reference to a barren
field portrays a cold and bleak environment where nothing can flourish or grow.
Both images are images of despair and emptiness, highlighting a world where
people have given up.

 Tone:
We can detect multiple tones in Langston Hughes's short poem "Dream."
Since Hughes opens with a command for his audience, as we see in the
phrase "[h]old fast," we can say that the first attitude he takes toward his
audience is didactic, meaning instructive. He is very serious about teaching
his audience his wisdom.

 Free verse lyrical poem in jazz style

 Meter: No specific rhythm
Hold FAST / to DREAMS, for IF / dreams DIE, LIFE is / a BROK/ en-
WING /ed BIRD, that CAN / not FLY hold FAST / to DREAMS, for
WHEN / DREAMS go, LIFE is / a BAR / ren FIELD, FROZen / with
SNOW
 Structure:
It is a short, traditional two-stanza poem. Each stanza consists of 4 lines and
follows a strict abcb defe rhyme scheme.

Sources:
 https://prezi.com/qovmcazltc3d/dreams-by-langston-hughes/
 http://study.com/academy/lesson/dreams-by-langston-hughes-summary-
analysis.html
 https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-tone-langston-hughess-poem-
dreams-582635
 http://www.storyboardthat.com/teacher-guide/dreams-by-langston-hughes