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？