What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
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I guess it depends on the person -- and the dream. In my experience the raisin in the sun thing is the most common. People just give up and settle for less. If you have an extremely willful person, exploding is definitely a possibility. These people will get what they want or die trying. On one hand this is admirable. Fighting to change the world is hard and risky and thus takes courage and strength. Sometimes walls need to be busted down. On the other hand, fighting often carries a price. Innocents can be harmed and society's stability can be threatened. So I guess people who have their dreams deferred have to make a pretty hard choice. Give up or fight. I'd say the other possibilities mentioned in the poem are intermediate states -- reflecting the turmoil one feels in making this choice. Side: Depends on the Person
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