Dreaming of Harlem

I’ve heard of the name Langston Hughes before but have never read anything of his. Today, in Brandon’s (Humans of New York) latest posts, his subject Mo spoke about this poem called Harlem, which was about deferred dreams.

Hughes wrote it as part of a collection of poems called Montage of a Dream Deferred and after reading Harlem, I feel like getting the book…

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?

Amid the roar

Barrock told me about this poem by Edgar Allan Poe, he called it a ‘break-up poem’.  It has been a while since I have read anything besides I Wrote This For You the book and website.

A Dream Within a Dream

Take this kiss upon the brow!

And, in parting from you now,

Thus much let me avow —

You are not wrong, who deem

That my days have been a dream;

Yet if hope has flown away

In a night, or in a day,

In a vision, or in none,

Is it therefore the less gone?

All that we see or seem

Is but a dream within a dream.

 

I stand amid the roar

Of a surf-tormented shore,

And I hold within my hand

Grains of the golden sand —

How few! yet how they creep

Through my fingers to the deep,

While I weep — while I weep!

O God! Can I not grasp

Them with a tighter clasp?

O God! can I not save

One from the pitiless wave?

Is all that we see or seem

But a dream within a dream?

For now

Conversations can end

Memories can fade

I can forget

But feelings

They linger a little bit longer

Stay hidden if unbidden

Until I decide to let them go

When I’m ready to let you go

Until then the longing continues

Two boats

Sitting in the quiet hall of your domain
I can see why you love it here
It’s painful to admit that I feel the same way
And to know that nothing good will come out of this thought
Of wanting to be here
In your own piece of paradise

I need to make up my mind

There is nothing to decide, really.

I just need time.

To fully accept it.

To let go.

To look away.

I may not have much experience but I know how I feel.

I may suck at this but I’m for real.

I don’t play games.

I shouldn’t have to.

So here’s to life.

To the connections.

To the conversations.

To the losses.

To the pain.

To love.