The Slave's Dream

Slavery has always been a compelling topic for me. I can’t even begin to fathom how one in that position would feel, or maintain the willingness to live. This poem is written simplistically, but yet ardently gets a more in depth point of view across to the readers. Strategically it appeals to the audience in a way that’s comprehensible, eliminating the need for further pondering of understanding. The Slave’s Dream is the story of a slave whom we meet while he seems to be in a peaceful sleep. The readers are invited into the slave’s dream where we uncover parts of his life, until unfortunately death overtakes him. Upon reading the title I was very inclined to read this poem. I was under the interpretation that the title suggested a slave breaking out of slavery which ultimately was every slave’s dream. “Beside the ungathered rice he lay, His sickle in his hand; His breast was bare, his matted hair was buried in the sand” (lines 1-4). This is a very important line in the poem; it establishes to the readers that the slave is sleep, and also a man. A sense of foreshadow is also softly noted here. The fact that the slave lay next to ungathered rice, with his tool still in hand gives off the sense that something must have corrupted his work. Would he really risk not completing his work to bear the disapproval of his master? A sense of time is also suggested hear, the fact that his head was buried in the hair suggests that his head has been resting in the same spot for quite a while. Could a person really sleep comfortably inhaling hot sand, with a heavy tool in hand? Maybe a dead man could. “Beneath the palm trees on the plain once more a king he strode” (lines 9-10) This line suggests that this young man was once a prestigious person against his people. As if once of rank, and stripped of it he must one day return to his rightful place, even if it’s only in his dreams. Ironically, within the poem before he leaves the plantation, he kisses he wife and children, leaving them behind forever. This gesture was slightly confusing he moved toward freedom, however left his wife in children condemned in a life full of suffering and pain. What kind of man would leave his wife and children behind while he fled for freedom? “His bridle reigns were golden chains, and with a martial clank, at each leap he could feel his scabbard of steel, smiting his stallion’s flank.”(lines 21-24) Here it is inferred that he is passing his feeling of oppression onto another being. Instead of reigns he has golden chains, the type that at one point restrained him; however the chains are golden they are not rusty ordinary chains. Perhaps this suggests a bright future for those still to be freed from their chains. Gold is the color of hope and power. A feeling that is instilled when freedom is achieved. “ That he started in his sleep and smiled At their
tempestuous glee. He did not feel the driver's whip, Nor the burning heat of day; For Death had illumined the Land of Sleep, And his lifeless body lay A worn-out fetter,
that the soul Had broken and thrown away!” (closing lines) Here it is suggested that the slave was aware that death was near, but could only smile and embrace the new life where he would no longer suffer. In this place he could not feel the whip of his oppressor.
The final line is one that is truly inspiring. It wasn’t his strength that broke out of his fetter, but his soul. Suggesting that you are only as strong as your soul.


The author of The Slave’s Dream wants the audience to feel a sense of compassion towards the slave. You can’t help, but feel empathetic towards a man stripped of his pride, forced under the authority of someone only referred to as master, to show your inferiority to him. This poem although mainly about the strife originating in the African American community is also focused to a broad audience. Anyone can read this poem and understand the message behind the author’s appeal to logic therefore influencing his appeal to his audience. No, not every race was forced into slavery, but empathy sees no color. The author appeals to the emotions and self-interest of the audience by making the text colorfully come to life. “Beside some hidden stream; And it passed, like a glorious roll of drums, Through the triumph of his dream.” (lines 34-35) This simple stream had colorfully turned into an orchestra the way it was described by the author, the river symbolized the overflowing freedom that the slave wished to achieve by the end of his journey. Throughout the journey of the book, the sand from which the book started soon became a symbol. When the poem started the slave’s head was engulfed within the hot sand, and when he cried his tears returned to the sand. The sand represents his master, it had power over him engulfing his head, and his vital signs for life. When he cried he returned a tear back to the sand, which could be interpreted as a sign of weakness. It is said he who over powers you controls you. “ When you cry you feed someone else’s joy, this is why you must learn to swallow your own tears.”(The Joy Luck Club)