The “dream deferred” was a prolonged, deferred, and exasperated dream of African Americans; the dream of triumphing over prejudice and inequality and achieving freedom and justice. In the poem Harlem, Langston Hughes asks the question of what happens when these dreams are ignored or delayed. The poem is written in free verse and is based on a rhetorical question, to encourage the reader to postpone their own dreams. The author uses similes to support and explain the importance and danger of delayed dreams. The poem also advocates the power of following one's dreams. He explains to the reader that dreams are vital. Through this poem, the reader is reminded of the importance of action rather than just imagining dreams. Each verse highlights the harmful effects of what happens when a dream is delayed. Hughes uses alliteration in the quote “…a dream deferred” to explore what happens when dreams are suspended. The author wisely uses an inversion of this phase, to imply that these dreams are "deferred" against the person's will. This line expressing the general perspective ...