Hold Fast To Dreams

The following text will analyse the Langstone Hughes’ poem to prove that there is a precious advice under it.

In order to reach the aim I will make some conjectures, starting from the title.

At first sight the last one it may have two different meanings: the first one is meant as something that someone would like to do or become and the second it could be interpretated as thoughts, images made by someone during sleep.

When we have just begun to read we understand it conceres the first hypothesis. The poem is arranged in two stanzas, both of the first lines are the same, and it makes a chorus effect and it helps to stick into the reader’s mind. Moreover these lines order to the reader to hold fast to dreams, this does not seem rude because the imperative form is attenuate by the alliteretion of the sound D, therefore more than an order it looks like a advice

from a close friend. Another role is played by the alternate rhyme that makes a cohesive text.

Moving to the figures of speech we can notice a metaphore in each stanza, connected by the same ending sound. They may have the role to make understand to the reader his message by a clear image in its mind.

The first metaphore says that life without dreams is like a bird with no-working wings, which is very symbolic because birds mean freedom, hope and future; it is not a coincidence that in Ancient Rome some Roman prists used to watch the birds flight to predict the future. Even the second metaphore is about life: it is empty without dreams like a barren field frozen with snow; so it does not give any products, as a dry field has no crops.

In conclusion, the poet, like a good friend, make us understand that without dreams there is no future in life.