Poetry and America

Dream Variations by Langston Hughes

To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like me-
That is my dream!

To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening...
A tall, slim tree...
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.

This was by far my favorite one that I read by Langston Hughes.  I realize that a couple of his mentions of "black like me" and his last sentence makes it seem particular to only blacks, but I felt like I identified with the bulk of it. To me, this poem seems to be about freedom. And maybe the freedom he is talking about is different than the freedom that each person who reads this thinks about.  But when I read this poem, I hear him asking for the freedom to live, the freedom to relax, the freedom to be carefree or worry free;  I hear a desperation yet also a recognition like he believes he will never be able to be that free to "dance". 

The author's subtle mention of nature --  "sun" "tree"...recognizes how much peace can be found in nature. Can freedom be found in nature?  I would like to think so.  But even if this is true, then can this freedom be kept?  Or is it only short lived?  I know that it is in nature that I feel most free, but when I leave nature, I am no longer free.  This, of course, translates into the question:  Is all freedom short lived?