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The Dream Keeper and Other Poems
by
Illus. in black-and-white. This classic collection of poetry is available in a handsome new gift edition that includes seven additional poems written after The Dream Keeper was first published. In a larger format, featuring Brian Pinkney's scratchboard art on every spread, Hughes's inspirational message to young people is as relevant today as it was in 1932.
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Paperback, 96 pages
Published
December 3rd 1996
by Knopf Books for Young Readers
(first published 1932)
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I finally managed to read some Langston Hughes. [insert my longest yeah boy ever here] Ever since I set the goal to seek out more diverse literature, Hughes has been on my radar. If you look up African-America poetry, he's the one to come up.
I thought it would be interesting to hear his thoughts, especially on race relations in the US, because he's from the older generation, being born in 1902, he was already in his 50s when shit hit the fan (which makes him 22 years older than James Baldwin, w ...more
I thought it would be interesting to hear his thoughts, especially on race relations in the US, because he's from the older generation, being born in 1902, he was already in his 50s when shit hit the fan (which makes him 22 years older than James Baldwin, w ...more
This book first appeared in 1932. It is still a great read for all ages today. Langston Hughes made a huge impact on my life because he was anthologized often in my literature books.
Here is a famous one:
"Dreams"
Hold onto dreams
For if dreams die
Life is like a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
There is often a simple beauty:
"Poem"
I loved my friend.
He went away from me.
There's nothing more to say.
The poem ends,
Soft ...more
Here is a famous one:
"Dreams"
Hold onto dreams
For if dreams die
Life is like a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
There is often a simple beauty:
"Poem"
I loved my friend.
He went away from me.
There's nothing more to say.
The poem ends,
Soft ...more
In "The Dream Keeper and Other Poems," Langston Hughes captures the reader's attention automatically with his delicate prose and imagery. Every poem is different, but all hold a link to a view of the African American culture that Hughes tried so hard to educate people about. Every poem is beautiful, some are funny, and some cause the reader to think. It's a great collection that I would highly recommend.
The book expands awareness of a culture and time that children today may not know much about. ...more
The book expands awareness of a culture and time that children today may not know much about. ...more
This was my favorite poetry book when I was little. I must have checked it out at least six times from my elementary school library. "Hold Fast to Dreams" was the first poem I had ever memorized (just called "Dreams" in this edition) and was asked to recite in front of my 3rd grade class. There are many poems in this collection that will always hold special memories for me (particularly those in the Dream Keeper section).
"Hold Fast to Dreams"
Hold fast to dreams
for if dreams die
life is a broken-w ...more
"Hold Fast to Dreams"
Hold fast to dreams
for if dreams die
life is a broken-w ...more
BLACK LIVES MATTER, and never has that truth been expressed more tenderly or more beautifully than in the poetry of Langston Hughes. I read an article about him in the New Yorker last night, how he had come to study at Columbia University, how he lived near campus through much of his life. And yet the school didn’t seem to recognize the genius who lived only blocks away, never gave him an honorary degree until after he was dead. Black Lives Matter.
I took down THE DREAM KEEPER, an old volume of ...more
I took down THE DREAM KEEPER, an old volume of ...more
Some of these poems are absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking or heart wrenching, just very moving. Some are just so sweet and lovely and others are without a doubt a good poem but not one that stirred me. My favorite section is Walkers with the Dawn.
If nothing else, the book is worth checking out based on the illustrations alone. They are absolutely beautiful. Some are stronger than others but I think it's more to go along with the poem it's accompanying rather than the piece itself.
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If nothing else, the book is worth checking out based on the illustrations alone. They are absolutely beautiful. Some are stronger than others but I think it's more to go along with the poem it's accompanying rather than the piece itself.
...more
In sixth grade, my teacher gave me The Dream Keeper and Other Poems. It was the first book of poetry I ever owned. It was the perfect first. Paperback, and easy to carry around in my backpack, or keep in the car. Full of rhythmic poems that pounded through my head. Metaphors, allusions, social commentary that I thought I understood. And each time I read it and understood more, I realized how much I did not know. It contains the first poem I ever read out loud, Alabama Earth. Still I can hear the
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I read this book ages ago, for a Black Writers class that I took in college. I recently saw an article in my alumni magazine about the professor I had for that class, John Wright, who recently retired. That got me thinking about all of the works we studied, and I focused most on Langston Hughes. I wrote a paper on this book and another, Montage of a Dream Deferred, and I really loved the experience, both reading the poems and writing the paper. It was very special to revisit Hughes' poetry with
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I've been having trouble staying motivated to read lately, so I decided to pick up a book of poetry - something that could be thought provoking without the time commitment of a larger book. These poems were beautiful, and it was only after I read through a good chunk of them that I realized they were intended for children.
A few of them are simplistic, of course. Targeted at children, they would have to be. But there is a profoundness to several of his poems that transcends youth. The words are ...more
A few of them are simplistic, of course. Targeted at children, they would have to be. But there is a profoundness to several of his poems that transcends youth. The words are ...more
This is a nice collection of poetry that is suitable for middle-grade children. This collection was originally published in 1932, and this new 75th Anniversary Edition features illustrations by Brian Pinkney. I wasn't familiar with Hughes' work previously, and I enjoyed his simple poetic style where he clearly expresses his pride in his African-American heritage. There are also a number of poems written in the spirit of the blues. My favourite in this collection is this one, which I find very in
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I can't believe I'd never read Langston Hughes before. I mean, I must have somewhere, at some point, but not all at once like this. Wow, what an amazing poet. He uses so many different styles and rhymes and themes and symbols, it's honestly amazing. He has a mind like no other, and it shows. And Brian Pinkney's art, too! What a perfect artist to accompany these poems. Together, they make a powerful couple, helping to illuminate and describe each other.
This is a beautiful compilation tha ...more
This is a beautiful compilation tha ...more
For several years I have had been promising myself that I would read Langston Hughes. It has been too many years. Oh why did I wait?
Because this collection was intended for children, the poetry is accessible. Because it is great accessible poetry, the poetry can be understood and felt immediately.
Some of my favorites opin this collection:
"Dreams"
"Song for a Banjo Dance"
"Po' Boy Blues"
"Prayer"
"Mother to Son"
"Dream Dust"
"Color"
Now I will be promising myself my own copy of the book. ...more
Because this collection was intended for children, the poetry is accessible. Because it is great accessible poetry, the poetry can be understood and felt immediately.
Some of my favorites opin this collection:
"Dreams"
"Song for a Banjo Dance"
"Po' Boy Blues"
"Prayer"
"Mother to Son"
"Dream Dust"
"Color"
Now I will be promising myself my own copy of the book. ...more
First sentence: Bring me all your dreams, You dreamers, Bring me all of your Heart melodies That I may wrap them In a blue cloud-cloth Away from the too-rough fingers Of the world.
Premise/plot: This is an anniversary edition of a collection of Langston Hughes poems originally published in 1932. It is illustrated by Brian Pinkney. The poems are divided into sections: The Dream Keeper, Sea Charm, Dressed Up, Feet o' Jesus, Walkers with the Dawn, and Additional Poems.
My thoughts: I didn't love al ...more
Premise/plot: This is an anniversary edition of a collection of Langston Hughes poems originally published in 1932. It is illustrated by Brian Pinkney. The poems are divided into sections: The Dream Keeper, Sea Charm, Dressed Up, Feet o' Jesus, Walkers with the Dawn, and Additional Poems.
My thoughts: I didn't love al ...more
This short (80 page) collection is a great selection for those who don't read a lot of poetry. Langston Hughes is a favorite poet of many because his poetry is so accessible (though many often overlook the subversive and political undertones of his writing). This would also be a great selection to give a young person who hasn't read much, or any, poetry.
Brian Pinkney illustrated this edition, and his drawings are beautifully rendered, capturing both the spirit of Hughes' poetry and the beauty i ...more
Brian Pinkney illustrated this edition, and his drawings are beautifully rendered, capturing both the spirit of Hughes' poetry and the beauty i ...more
Jared Ramos 707 The Dream Keeper by Langston Hughes
In my eyes the author a person who think of what other people wouldn't think of, Langston Hughes thinks what's about what's going to happen next,he doesn't think of the negative he thinks positive, Langston Hughes thinks outside the box.
The post-it I wrote said "the author is trying to say, there is always something larking right around the corner". I said that because the way that poem was written there was always something else right aft ...more
In my eyes the author a person who think of what other people wouldn't think of, Langston Hughes thinks what's about what's going to happen next,he doesn't think of the negative he thinks positive, Langston Hughes thinks outside the box.
The post-it I wrote said "the author is trying to say, there is always something larking right around the corner". I said that because the way that poem was written there was always something else right aft ...more
Langston Hughes’ “The Dream Keeper and Other Poems” is a collection of poems expressing emotions and celebrating African American life. While some of the poems rhyme, many do not, so this would be a helpful collection to use when teaching older students the purpose of poems (which isn’t always just to rhyme!). I would likely use these poems with upper elementary, grades 3-6, to teach different aspects of imagery and metaphors. This could also be used in conjunction with social studies lessons ab
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In Hughes' first collection of poetry for young readers, he offers poems about the natural world, broken hearts, and quiet girls. It's a nice collection with brief poems that capture the subjects that Hughes was most invested in during the period, though with a subtler political edge. In this contemporary addition of Hughes' first picture book includes Pinkney's beautiful black and white relief illustrations, updating the original illustrations that largely presented adults with beautiful sketch
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***This review contains spoilers***
The book I’ll be writing about is The Dreams Keeper and other poems by Langston Hughes. This book is a series of poems and it focuses on the African American experience. I would rate this book five stars and definitely would recommend it to others who like poetry. The author talks about the African American experience very passionately and pridefully. For example, “Whereas the spirituals are often songs about escaping from trouble, going to heaven and living ha ...more
The book I’ll be writing about is The Dreams Keeper and other poems by Langston Hughes. This book is a series of poems and it focuses on the African American experience. I would rate this book five stars and definitely would recommend it to others who like poetry. The author talks about the African American experience very passionately and pridefully. For example, “Whereas the spirituals are often songs about escaping from trouble, going to heaven and living ha ...more
Some of these poems I enjoyed a lot. However, for some reason I missed the fact that this was a collection of poems for children when I requested the book from the library, and so it wasn't quite what I was expecting. There were still some really deep, intense themes here, but in some of them it felt like Hughes had pulled his punches in order to connect with his audience more. I guess I was hoping for more of the poems to hit hard.
That said, I did enjoy most of these at least a little, and some ...more
That said, I did enjoy most of these at least a little, and some ...more
This collection contains short poems intended for a young audience, with poems to inspire (often about dreams and aspirations), teach (often about resilience), and warn (often about the issues facing black youth). The style generally focused on short, simple verses that packed a punch, some of which were actually quite dark and serious, others of which were uplifting. I definitely enjoyed the poems, especially a few that spoke to my own experiences, although overall I think I was not the intende
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This is an excellent poetry book by Langston Hughes. If you have never read anything by Langston Hughes this is a great place to start. This book of poetry takes the reader back to what it was like during the Jim Crow era. He uses jazz and black folks' rhymes in his poetry that makes it easy for any African American to relate to. Some of my favorite poems in this collection are " Mother to Son"," The Weary Blues"," Po Boy Blues", "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", and last but not least" A Daybreak i
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Poems reflect part of black history in America in a brief and light way. A perspective coming from civilians, not politics, leaders or professionals in technical or social studies. I liked the fact that the text was raw. Grammar rules where omitted, which I guess serves as representation of the will to write, despite the academic limitations, and also transports the reader to the time when the moment was lived or the feeling was felt.
The collection gave me an appreciation for the poet's cadence, skill with rhyming, and subject matter. I thought this might be appropriate for children, and select poems were, because of how visually evocative they were. As a body of work, however, the book seems meant for adults. The drawings enhanced my grip of the subject matter and were masterful in conveying the tone of certain poems. Reading this, led me to purchase the poet's collected works
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Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, short story writer, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance. He famously wrote about the period that "Harlem was in vogue."
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“The Dream Keeper
Bring me all of your dreams,
You dreamer,
Bring me all your
Heart melodies
That I may wrap them
In a blue cloud-cloth
Away from the too-rough fingers
Of the world.”
—
58 likes
Bring me all of your dreams,
You dreamer,
Bring me all your
Heart melodies
That I may wrap them
In a blue cloud-cloth
Away from the too-rough fingers
Of the world.”
“Quiet Girl
I would liken you
To a night without stars
Were it not for your eyes.
I would liken you
To a sleep without dreams
Were it not for your songs.”
—
8 likes
More quotes…
I would liken you
To a night without stars
Were it not for your eyes.
I would liken you
To a sleep without dreams
Were it not for your songs.”






















