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Tuesday, 23 October 2012

ONE GREAT POET 1: 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?

By Langton Hughes 1902-1967
If you are a poem fanatic, I’ll conclude you are familiar with this famous Langton Hughes’s poem of a dream deferred; “Harlem” from Collected Poems.

A dream deferred,
It dries up,
Like a raising in the sun
Or it festers like a sore
And then run
It stinks like rotten meat
Or crust and sugars over
Like a syrupy sweet.
Maybe it just sags
Like a heavy load.
So more,
It explodes!
Where?
Through your brain

by: Deey. Hehe…..
NB: I didn’t write his poem twice, look again!....
Like someone once mentioned to me, “If you can’t stand the existing rules, restructure it! Make it yours!” This person isn’t such a good friend to keep around, is he?  Hmmmm….

I am a poem fanatic. Even more an aspiring poet, so I couldn’t resist restructuring this Langston Hughes’s short master piece by coming up with my own version of it.

The onus to brutally inform a confused individual with a deferred dream his consequences came on me strongly as an inspiration (like I needed one, really). While reading the original piece, the initial impression of the confused state of the poet and a wondering thought at if he was just being curious about consequences or/and making canny effort tin relaying an advice got me itching to revise a stable state of mind that seemed more direct and certain.

You layman; should I assume Langston Hughes required a confirmation for his projections, I just have. Rhetoric questions are defined as questions one need not answer. So instead of being confused, make that rule your own, write a poem! And if you can’t, allow me to assume you can.

By the way, I can have this person as a friend as long as I can twist his advice and put it into good use...hehe!

Like every great black achiever in history, Langston Hughes was remarkable. “A dream deferred” is one of many remarkable works by him. To discover all about his greatness, you can visit www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/langston-hughes

2 comments:

Unknown said...

while Langston has left us in a puzzled state trying to figure out what happens to a deferred dream by using those rhetorical questions, you deey are being rather sarcastic by saying it explodes in our brains... making the whole thing look hilarious... good work tho

Unknown said...

...exactly its point my dear...u possess the debth needed to read this Piece. Gud job!..and thanks! Keep reading.