Though “The Rose That Grew from Concrete” is a short poem, it offers a profound message that has longstanding consequences. This message is the struggle between neglect and perseverance. The consequences are dire because, as Hughes’s poem (referenced earlier) suggests, dreams can and do get deferred, and this deferral can lead to dire consequences. Neglect is one way that dreams become deferred, and Tupac’s poem takes issue with this neglect. The poem ultimately paints a picture of hope, hope that the lasting consequences of dreaming big will result in perseverance and a negation of neglect. What Tupac’s poem doesn’t state outright, however, is that it takes more than an individual to ensure that perseverance triumphs over neglect.

There are several instances in “The Rose That Grew from Concrete” that reference neglect. The “crack in the concrete” (Line 2), learning to walk “with out having feet” (Line 4), and the last line, “when no one else ever cared!” (Line 8), are all instances where the rose, or Tupac, is neglected and therefore not cared for. While the rose’s perseverance is admirable, it is even more so in the face of such widespread neglect.