Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now, Thus much let me avow— You are not wrong, who deem That my days have been a dream; Yet if hope has flown away In a night, or in a day, In a vision, or in none, Is it therefore the less gone? All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar Of a surf-tormented shore, And I hold within my hand Grains of the golden sand— How few! yet how they creep Through my fingers to the deep, While I weep—while I weep! O God! can I not grasp Them with a tighter clasp? O God! can I not save One from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream?
The poem dramatizes the confusion felt by the narrator as he watches the important things in life slip away.[1] Realizing he cannot hold on to even one grain of sand, he is led to his final question whether all things are just a dream.[2]
It has been suggested that the "golden sand" referenced in the 15th line signifies that which is to be found in an hourglass, consequently time itself.[3] Another interpretation holds that the expression evokes an image derived from the 1848 finding of gold in California.[1] The latter interpretation seems unlikely, however, given the presence of the four, almost identical, lines describing the sand in another poem "To ——," which is regarded as a blueprint for "A Dream Within a Dream" and preceding its publication by two decades.[3]
Publication historyedit
The poem was first published in the March 31, 1849, edition of the Boston-based story paper The Flag of Our Union.[2] The same publication had only two weeks before first published Poe's short story "Hop-Frog." The next month, owner Frederick Gleason announced it could no longer pay for whatever articles or poems it published.
Picnic at Hanging Rock, a story about a group of girls disappearing while on a field trip to a rock formation in the early 20th century, begins with a voice over that states "What we see and what we seem is but a dream. A dream within a dream".
The Propaganda album A Secret Wish, released in 1985, opens with the track "Dream Within A Dream". The poem is recited in spoken-word form by vocalist Susanne Freytag.
Biological Radio, the 1997 Dreadzone album, features the track "Dream Within A Dream" which quotes lines from the poem.
The Yardbirds' recorded a musical adaptation for their 2003 album Birdland, adding a new verse of their own.[4]
Elysian Fields recorded a musical adaptation of the song.
Korean boy group NCT utilized the poem as a concept base, mentioning "Dream Within a Dream" several times throughout their discography. Examples include "Dream in a Dream" by TEN (NCT 2018 Empathy, 2018) and "INTERLUDE: Regular-Irregular" by NCT 127 (Regular-Irregular, 2018), with additional references in media.
Referencesedit
^ abSilverman, Kenneth. Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance. New York: Harper Perennial, 1991. p. 402 ISBN0-06-092331-8
^ abSova, Dawn B. Edgar Allan Poe: A to Z. New York: Checkmark Books, 2001: 73. ISBN0-8160-4161-X
^ abPoe, E. A. (1969). Poems Collected in 1829. In T. O. Mabbott (Ed.), Collected Works of Edgar Allan Poe, Volume I: Poems (pp. 130). Massachusetts: Belknap Press.
^XElvikingoX. "The Yardbirds - Dream Within A Dream". Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 9 February 2019 – via YouTube.
External linksedit
The full text of A Dream Within a Dream at Wikisource
Media related to A Dream Within a Dream at Wikimedia Commons
A Dream Within A Dream 2011-08-07 at the Wayback Machine, from about.com.
A Dream within a Dream public domain audiobook at LibriVox
December 18, 2023
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For the vivid dream experience about awakening from sleep see False awakening A Dream Within a Dream is a poem written by American poet Edgar Allan Poe first published in 1849 The poem has 24 lines divided into two stanzas A Dream Within a Dreamby Edgar Allan PoeFirst published appearance in The Flag of Our UnionFirst published inThe Flag of Our UnionPublication dateMarch 1849Lines24Full textA Dream Within a Dream at WikisourceA DREAM WITHIN A DREAM Take this kiss upon the brow And in parting from you now Thus much let me avow You are not wrong who deem That my days have been a dream Yet if hope has flown away In a night or in a day In a vision or in none Is it therefore the less gone All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream I stand amid the roar Of a surf tormented shore And I hold within my hand Grains of the golden sand How few yet how they creep Through my fingers to the deep While I weep while I weep O God can I not grasp Them with a tighter clasp O God can I not saveOne from the pitiless wave Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream source source Reading of the poem A Dream Within a Dream Contents 1 Analysis 2 Publication history 3 Adaptations 4 References 5 External linksAnalysis editThe poem dramatizes the confusion felt by the narrator as he watches the important things in life slip away 1 Realizing he cannot hold on to even one grain of sand he is led to his final question whether all things are just a dream 2 It has been suggested that the golden sand referenced in the 15th line signifies that which is to be found in an hourglass consequently time itself 3 Another interpretation holds that the expression evokes an image derived from the 1848 finding of gold in California 1 The latter interpretation seems unlikely however given the presence of the four almost identical lines describing the sand in another poem To which is regarded as a blueprint for A Dream Within a Dream and preceding its publication by two decades 3 Publication history editThe poem was first published in the March 31 1849 edition of the Boston based story paper The Flag of Our Union 2 The same publication had only two weeks before first published Poe s short story Hop Frog The next month owner Frederick Gleason announced it could no longer pay for whatever articles or poems it published Adaptations editThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed February 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Picnic at Hanging Rock a story about a group of girls disappearing while on a field trip to a rock formation in the early 20th century begins with a voice over that states What we see and what we seem is but a dream A dream within a dream The Alan Parsons Project s album Tales of Mystery and Imagination Edgar Allan Poe opens with an instrumental homage to the poem Its 1987 re release included a narration by Orson Welles The Propaganda album A Secret Wish released in 1985 opens with the track Dream Within A Dream The poem is recited in spoken word form by vocalist Susanne Freytag Biological Radio the 1997 Dreadzone album features the track Dream Within A Dream which quotes lines from the poem The Yardbirds recorded a musical adaptation for their 2003 album Birdland adding a new verse of their own 4 Elysian Fields recorded a musical adaptation of the song Sopor Aeternus and The Ensemble of Shadows adapted the poem for their album Poetica All Beauty Sleeps Korean boy group NCT utilized the poem as a concept base mentioning Dream Within a Dream several times throughout their discography Examples include Dream in a Dream by TEN NCT 2018 Empathy 2018 and INTERLUDE Regular Irregular by NCT 127 Regular Irregular 2018 with additional references in media References edit a b Silverman Kenneth Edgar A Poe Mournful and Never ending Remembrance New York Harper Perennial 1991 p 402 ISBN 0 06 092331 8 a b Sova Dawn B Edgar Allan Poe A to Z New York Checkmark Books 2001 73 ISBN 0 8160 4161 X a b Poe E A 1969 Poems Collected in 1829 In T O Mabbott Ed Collected Works of Edgar Allan Poe Volume I Poems pp 130 Massachusetts Belknap Press XElvikingoX The Yardbirds Dream Within A Dream Archived from the original on 2021 12 14 Retrieved 9 February 2019 via YouTube External links edit nbsp The full text of A Dream Within a Dream at Wikisource nbsp Media related to A Dream Within a Dream at Wikimedia Commons An omnibus collection of Poe s poetry at Standard Ebooks A Dream Within A Dream Archived 2011 08 07 at the Wayback Machine from about com Video of A Dream Within a Dream nbsp A Dream within a Dream public domain audiobook at LibriVox Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title A Dream Within a Dream amp oldid 1167356459, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
