“Good morning, daddy!Ain't you heardThe boogie-woogie rumbleOf a dream deferred?Listen closely:You'll hear their feetBeating out and beating out a -You thinkIt's a happy beat?Listen to it closely:Ain't you heardsomething underneathlike a -What did I say?Sure,I'm happy!Take it away!Dream BoogieHey, pop!Re-bop!Mop!Y-e-a-h!”

“What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?”

“Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.”

“Down Where I AmToo many yearsBeatin' at the door--I done beat myBoth fists sore.Too many yearsTryin' to get up there--Done broke my ankles down,Got nowhere.Too many yearsClimbin' that hill,'Bout out of breath.I got my fill.I'm gonna plant my feetOn solid ground.If you want to see me,Come down.”

“I tire so of hearing people say,Let things take their course.Tomorrow is another day.I do not need my freedom when I'm dead.I cannot live on tomorrow's bread.”

“Gather out of star-dust,Earth-dust,Cloud-dust,Storm-dust,And splinters of hail,One handful of dream-dust,Not for sale.”

“HarlemWhat 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?”