Poetry Sunday: As I Grew Older and Dreams

This week I give you two for the price of one - two poems by American poet Langston Hughes. 

 Both of the poems are about dreams, the importance of dreams and especially the importance of hanging on to them, never losing sight of them, even when life builds walls between you and your dreams. 

 "Hold fast to dreams..." 

 As I Grew Older

 by Langston Hughes

 It was a long time ago.
I have almost forgotten my dream.
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun—
My dream.
And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream.
Rose until it touched the sky—
The wall.
Shadow.
I am black.
I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me,
Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
My hands! 
My dark hands! 
Break through the wall! 
Find my dream! 
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand whirling dreams
Of sun! 

               ~ ~ ~

 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. 

Comments

  1. Judy KruegerFebruary 28, 2016 at 9:52 AM

    OK. Dorothy and Langston, I will hold fast.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersFebruary 28, 2016 at 11:30 AM

      The importance of dreams and following our dreams cannot be overlooked.

      Delete
  2. CarmenFebruary 28, 2016 at 4:14 PM

    I liked the second more than the first.

    ReplyDelete

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