The aim of the present text is to give a personal interpretation to Langston Hughe's poem Hold Fast To Dreams. It will be based on close reading and text references. It is not meant to give definite answers, but only possible ones.
Considering the title, the reader can notice it is the same as the first line. Therefore the reader can suppose the poem is part of a collection. Reading it, the reader may wander the reason why the poet invites to hold fast to dreams. The title is full of dental sounds and therefore it is very incisive.
Giving a look to the poem the reader can notice it is made of an only stanza, composed by 8 lines. It's a free verse poem.
Consider il the punctuation, it is made of an only sentence: indeed there is an only full stop at the end. Reading it the reader can notice the first verse is the same as the fourth one: it's an anaphor that gives rhythm to the poem.
The poem is made op of Theo similes: in the first one the poet compares a life without dreams with a broken-winged bird. The life can't go on as the bird can't fly. In the second simile there is a comparison between a life without dreams and a barren field.
In my opinion the purpose of the poem was to encourage us dreaming and believe in what we dream, in order to go on leaving pleasantly.