Harlem, a poem by Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes

Authors:

  • Langston Hughes

Era:

ERA 9: Postwar United States (1945 to early 1970's)

Year Created: 1951

Categories of Documents:

Text of Document:

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?

Source: Poetry Foundation

Citation: Langston Hughes, "Harlem" from The Collected Works of Langston Hughes. Copyright © 2002 by Langston Hughes.

Web Address:

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/175884