Tuesday, August 17, 2010

My Dream Deterred - Inspired by "A Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes

**Hughes' poem is at the bottom of this blog**


My Dream Deterred


Langston asked the question that plagues my mind today
What happens to a dream deferred?
In his mind, it dries or festers, sugars over, or explodes
In my heart it collects dust and grows old
My dreams run deep, plant roots in my soul
Connects my heart to mind and cradles my goals
But at present, they reside in a small box in a corner
And like a curious child on her birthday
I shake the box, remembering its contents.
I try to pull open one corner to refresh my mind
But reality slaps my hands away
Sadly, I realize my true potential must stay enclosed
While zombieing through a plateaued 9 -5
Little hope for a successful climb to the top
I miss my dreams like a high school love
I yearn for it, reach for it, but I fall short.
My unfulfilled potential grips my heart and slows its beats
It steals the air from my lungs and makes me weak
I weep
I pine
I need this dream to be mine
Because my life's incomplete without the truth of my greatness
So I continue to sneak peaks, when reality has its back turned
I spend my nights wrapped around my box of hopes
Of happiness and serenity
Tugging at the tight ribbon of potential
Til that one day when I too can write of dreams
And to Langston's poem I can reply:
What happens to a dream fulfilled?
Does it swell like the jubilant heart of a child?
Or does it fill up like joyous tears
Then run?
Does it perfume like new life in spring?
Or effervesce and trickle down
Like your love's saccharine kisses?
Or it rises light as a feather into the heavens
Then explodes?

____________________________________________
A Dream Deferred 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?