The Reality Verse the Fairytale of Dreams

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The Reality Verse the Fairytale of Dreams The subject of dreams is of hope. Many poets write about dreams, dreams are interpretation of life. Two poets that wrote on dreams are Langston Hughes and Sarojini Naidu. Hughes, an African American born in the year 1902 and Naidu, an Indian born in 1879. Both have ideas on dreams but contrast because of the diversity in their ethnic backgrounds. Hughes grasps the reality of dreams in his poem entitled “Dreams”. 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.? Nadidu grasps more of the fantasy of dreaming in her poem entitled “Song of A Dream” Once in the dream of a night I stood Lone in the light of a magical wood, Soul-deep in visions that poppy-like sprang; And spirits of Truth were the stars that glowed, And spirits of Peace were the streams that flowed In that magical wood in the land of sleep. Lone in the light of that magical grove, I felt the stars of the spirits of Love Gather and gleam round my delicate youth, And I heard the song of the spirits of Truth; To quench my longing I bent me low By the streams of the spirits of Peace that flow In that magical wood in the land of sleep. Hughes poem reflects the reality of life because he grew up in a time where racism and stereotypes were very much present. In reading the biography of him I discovered the hard life Hughes lived. His parents separated at a young age, causing Hughes to be raised by his maternal grandmother. “Hold fast to dreams” Langston’s father left seeking to escape the enduring racism in the United States. Hughes had a very poor relationship with his father. He lived with his father for a very brief time in 1919. After graduating from high school in June 1920 Hughes returned to Mexico to live with his
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