Friday, June 14, 2013

A Dream Within a Dream

 Edgar Allan Poe in 1848.

This time, I want to share a beautiful and impressive poem, written by Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 - October 7, 1849). Poe was an American author, poet, editor, and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Since my childhood, Poe has been my favorite poet. I can often identify with the thoughts and feelings, of which he writes in his poems. In my view, his poetry is pure in style. In short, it is perfect. I also like his ghost stories very much.

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?

Edgar Allan Poe (1849)

I also found the Chinese (!) translation from the Wikipedia, so I put it here.

梦中之梦

不能再吻你的额头,
到了再见的时候,
我不得不说-
你是对的,我的生活
不过是一场梦。
但是,如果希望已经飞走
无论在夜里,或在白天,
无论在幻想,或在虚无中,
那么它是否会因此留下一些呢?
我们所看到、所感受的一切
不过是一场梦中的梦。

我站在
怒涛彭湃的海岸边,
我的手中
攥着金黄的沙粒-
留不住啊!它们快速地
穿过我的手指而去,
我哭了-我哭了!
哦,上帝!为什么我不能
牢牢地抓住它们?
哦,上帝!为什么我不能
从这无情的波涛中救出一个?
难道我们所看到、所感受的一切
不过是一场梦中的梦?