Langston Hughes Dream Deferred

This poem is part of a book-long poem. It's usually called "A Dream Deferred" but sometimes called Harlem.

Harlem

BY LANGSTON HUGHES

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?

Langston Hughes, “Harlem” from Collected Poems. Copyright © 1994 by The Estate of Langston Hughes. Reprinted with the permission of Harold Ober Associates Incorporated.

https://vimeo.com/1303240




This is a very short biography of the poet.

https://vimeo.com/8257667
Dream Deferred

You Tube 

Langston Hughes reads his poem--Dreams begins at :37.