Dream Deferred

I had to memorize a poem last semester for the final exam of a literature class. I chose Langston Hughes' "Dream Deferred," partially because I enjoy his work, but mostly because it was sparse in words and barely edged the required ten-line minimum:


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?


This one officially gets my "Good Poem" stamp of approval, comparable to the Pulitzer I would imagine. My question, though, is what happens when there is no dream at all?