A Dream Deferred, 

by Langston Hughes

Here I think of educational desire. here I mean secret longings, private ambition, unrealistic aspirations. 

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?