Poetry · Chapter
Dreams explained
A brief but powerful poem urging the reader to cling to their dreams, warning that without them life becomes broken and barren.
What happens
A brief but powerful poem urging the reader to cling to their dreams, warning that without them life becomes broken and barren.
Themes in this chapter
Dreams and Despair
The entire poem centers on the vital importance of dreams and the desolation that follows their loss.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The speaker addresses a son or boy, offering wisdom about the necessity of dreams.
Key passages
“Hold fast to dreams, my son, For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly.”
Cling tightly to your aspirations, child, because without them life becomes as helpless and grounded as a bird with a broken wing.
The first stanza uses the metaphor of a flightless bird to illustrate the crippling effect of lost dreams.
“Hold fast to dreams, O boy, For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.”
Keep a firm grip on your hopes, young one, because once they vanish life turns into a cold, empty wasteland.
The second stanza shifts to an image of a frozen, unproductive field, emphasizing the lifelessness that follows the departure of dreams.