In Jan Beatty’s “My Father Teaches Me to Dream”, the overriding theme is that a strong will to devote one’s life to work is more important than any other distractions, such as dreaming. Similarly, Georgia Douglas Johnson’s “Calling Dreams” stresses the value of a work ethic, and the wastefulness of spending one’s life dreaming. For example, Johnson states, “The right to make my dreams come true/I ask, nay, I demand of life,” (Johnson, 1-2). Here, the poetess makes her will clear, that she has just cause to pursue her dreams, and make them come true. She will not settle for less from her earthly existence. Her resolve is pointed, and clear. Like Johnson, Beatty also expresses her notion that work precedes all else, and that the only way to get through life is to devote one’s self to one thing, and one thing only: work. In the poem, she states: “You want to know what work is?/I’ll tell you what work is:/Work is work” (Beatty, 1-3). Clearly, Beatty’s voice and tone are firm, and deliberate, as she expresses her strict, unadorned idea of the definition of work. In her no-nonsense way, Beatty establishes the inescapable reality of a life committed to work – and nothing else. In addition, Beatty makes it known that work is a daily event, that one must wake up, and devote one’s self to work – each and every day. “There’s no handouts in this life. All this other stuff you’re looking for—/it ain’t there./Work is work” (Beatty, 13-16). Johnson also expresses the theme that life is about waking up, and getting to work. “And now, at length, I rise, I wake!/And stride into the morning break!” (Johnson, 7-8). In both poems by Beatty and Johnson, dreams are nothing more than wistful, unrealistic wishes that do not come true. According to both poets, the real world involves awakening to the workaday world of action.
However, the poets significantly differ from each other in how they arrived at the conclusion that work is the right path through life, and that dreams are a waste of valuable time. For example, Johnson arrives at the conclusion about the value of a work ethic – as opposed to a life of dreamy whimsicality – on her own, and on her own terms. “Nor shall fate's deadly contraband/Impede my steps, nor countermand” (Johnson, 3-4). Thus, Johnson’s revelation about work comes from within, as does her resolve. She later states, “Too long my heart against the ground/Has beat the dusty years around,” (Johnson, 5-6). Johnson expresses a newly-found determination to work hard in life. The theme of transformation is evident in the text, as she has discovered the inner resolve to stop living from the heart, and start getting to work. She has discovered that action is more valuable than dreams. However, Beatty has no such revelation that results in such an inner determination to prize work over dreams. Instead, as the title suggests, Beatty values work because a strict work ethic was taught to her by her father. Thus, her almost robotic behavior – “You go to sleep. You get up./You do the same thing again” (Beatty, 10-11), is due solely to her father’s practical (and perhaps strict) influence. To her father, there simply is no such thing as dreaming, and Beatty explores this theme by using irony. That is, although the title refers to the act of dreaming, the poem itself explores a theme that was incorporated into Beatty’s worldview by her father. On the other hand, no such influence is found in Johnson’s short piece. Quite the opposite, Johnson is driven by an inner determination, and discovers her will to work, and live through work -- on her own accord. However, Beatty monotonously lives out what her father taught her about the uselessness of dreams, and the value of daily work. Beatty only parrots the wisdom of her father, whereas Johnson learns via another route, through her frustration with the uselessness of dreams.
Works Cited
Beatty, Jan. “My Father Teaches Me to Dream.” Poetry Foundation. 2016. Web. 27 Apr, 2016.
Johnson, Georgia Douglas. “Calling Dreams.” All Poetry. n.d. Web. 27 Apr, 2016.
