Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem" reflects themes that were relevant to the Harlem Renaissance Period, such as hopelessness, disappointment, and a constant struggle that blacks continued to faced, in their communities, and in society. Furthermore, the poem transcends time and is applicable to present day.
             Hughes' opens the poem asking a very powerful question: "What happens to a dream deferred?" Everyone has dreams, and everyone thrives off of their dreams, but it can be very disappointing and upsetting when your dreams are delayed or put on hold. No one wants their dreams to be put on hold or pushed to the side by society, because it does not classify them as important or significant. Hughes asks this question during a very frustrating time for blacks. People full of ambition, full of drive, and full of self esteem were essentially told to step to the side for people of other races. What they had to say or wanted to do was insignificant. When blacks rode the bus, train or any form of transportation, they had to make way for the other races that were considered "separate but equal," or in my words, those who the societal rules considered superior. Hughes uses "deferred" in the poem to refer to the condition of blacks during the time, which was in a position of deferment or simply put pushed to the back seat. Hughes felt this pain during this time and conveys it throughout his poetry.
             Hughes continues to elaborate on the unfulfilled hope of the black community, insisting that dreams "dry up" and cause emotional, physical, and mental drainage when they are not given what they need in order to stay alive or survive. Blacks were faced with severe hardships that caused them to give up on their dreams and lose hope in the American system. Dreams were "drying up" all over the black communities. Blacks could not find jobs, and their hopes of better days and si...