what do Langston Hughes "Dreams" mean?

Question

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

Answer 1

It means that life would be like a muted painting if no one had dreams. Imagine the abused child that dreams of a better life. Not only is the dream an escape, but it is also a motivator. Dream it, then take action to create it. Imagine the painter, writer, artist of any kind. Like the body of work or not, they imagined (dreamed) something and then contributed to the fabric of humanity. Imagine what you wanted to be when you grew up, did it change the world? Did it save someone? Dreams make heroes out of quiet unassuming people. It is the only reason we have advanced technology, art, music, doctors, etc.

Answer 2

Dream could be interpreted as ambitions. For example if someone wants to be a poet, that person should keep at it and never quit. When he writes broken winged bird, bird means imagination, so a broken winged bird means someone who has given up on art. When he writes a barren field he means death and someone who lived his or her life without a purpose without a dream.