Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
Langston Hughes’s timeless poem about the importance of dreams
Learning Objective: Students will learn about metaphors by identifying what the poet compares a life without dreams to and why he makes these comparisons.
1. Preparing to Read
2. Reading the Poem
3. Discussing the Poem
4. Skill Building
Distribute or assign the Poetry Kit (available in your Resources tab), in which will take students on a deep dive into the poem and its connection to the other stories in the issue. It will include the questions in this lesson plan.
In this two-and-a-half minute video from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, you can hear Langston Hughes read and talk about four of his poems, including “Dreams.” (Note: The video starts after a short ad.)
This page from Britannica Kids has more information about Langston Hughes’s life and career, including some photos of the famous poet.