A 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 save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
Poem
Vocabulary List Tap 🔊
Tap the speaker to hear each word or phrase.
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avow /əˈvaʊ/
To say something openly and honestly; to admit.
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deem /dim/
To think or judge; to consider.
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vision /ˈvɪʒən/
A dream or powerful image in the mind.
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amid /əˈmɪd/
In the middle of; surrounded by.
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surf-tormented /sərf ˈtɔrˌmɛntɪd/
Beaten and shaken by strong ocean waves.
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grains /greɪnz/
Very small pieces; here, tiny pieces of sand.
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creep /krip/
To move slowly and quietly, often without being noticed.
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clasp /klæsp/
To hold something tightly.
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pitiless /ˈpɪtiləs/
Without pity or kindness; cruel.
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seem /sim/
To appear in a certain way, even if it may not be true.
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weep /wip/
To cry.
Meaning (Simple)
The speaker says that life and experiences may feel real, but they pass away like sand slipping through fingers. He cannot hold onto time, hope, or joy. He asks whether everything we “see or seem” is only a dream inside another dream—suggesting that life may be uncertain and temporary.
Comprehension Questions
Answer the questions based on the poem.
- What does the speaker say about his “days” in the first stanza?
- What image does the speaker use in the second stanza to show time slipping away?
- Why does the speaker repeat “while I weep”?
- What question is asked at the end of each stanza?
- Do you think the poem is pessimistic, realistic, or hopeful? Explain your view.
Discussion Prompts
- Describe a memory that felt real but later seemed like a dream. What changed your view?
- What other metaphors could show how time escapes from us?
- Choose two vocabulary words and make original sentences that connect to the poem’s theme.
- Paraphrase the line “All that we see or seem / Is but a dream within a dream.”