"Dream Deferred" ~by Langston Hughes

(#11)
This poem is made up of similes and one metaphor. It discusses the various ways to respond to a dream that has been deferred or put off. If someone has a dream or goal they wish to achieve and someone tells them no or for some reason it is not possible at the time, then what happens to it? This is the point this poem discusses. "Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" When some people's dreams are deferred, they simply forget about them over time like a raisin drying up. Other people let the denial of their dream eat away at them until they finally break down and cannot take it anymore; it "fester(s) like a sore - and then run(s)." In addition, some people become bitter and angry when their dreams are deferred. They let the denial sink into them until all they have left is bitterness; in this way it "stink(s) like rotten meat." Yet, others try to sugar coat this deferred dream, so they forget about their lost dream and move on. They make it appear as though it really does not matter; it "crust(s) and sugar(s) over - like a syrupy sweet." Still to others, "it just sags like a heavy load." Some people dwell on their lost dreams and cannot forget about it; they carry it as a burden for the rest of their life because they cannot move on and forget.
..."Or does it explode?" This last line is the one metaphor in this poem full of similes. It is also written in italics as the author's way or emphasizing the importance of this last line. I believe this line could be interpreted a couple of ways. It could be taken to mean that the person, metaphorically, explodes with anger because of their dream deferred. It could also be interpreted to mean that the dream explodes or disappears. Often, if something explodes, then it is instantly destroyed and all traces of it are gone. There could be other ways of interpreting this line too; I am not really sure the correct interpretation? This poem uses figurative language to show the numerous responses to a dream deferred.