Poems (Holford)/Dreams
For works with similar titles, see Dreams.
DREAMS.
What is a dream? Why fools and sages
Have wisely puzzled o'er the theme,
Till swept away by rolling ages,
Their being is become a dream!
Have wisely puzzled o'er the theme,
Till swept away by rolling ages,
Their being is become a dream!
Tho' vainly ponder'd, long and deep,
From early times these sapient fellows,
O'er the grave riddle fall'n asleep,
Not one, the wish'd result can tell us!
From early times these sapient fellows,
O'er the grave riddle fall'n asleep,
Not one, the wish'd result can tell us!
Onward the ignis-fatuus flits;
In vain they stretch'd the hand to hold it,
And lost their time, and wore their wits,
Illusive vapours still enfold it!
In vain they stretch'd the hand to hold it,
And lost their time, and wore their wits,
Illusive vapours still enfold it!
Youth wakes elate to life's warm beam,
Flings away toys, for love and battles,
Smiling looks back on childhood's dream,
With all its jingling bells and rattles;—
Flings away toys, for love and battles,
Smiling looks back on childhood's dream,
With all its jingling bells and rattles;—
Short is his smile, for glowing youth
Is but a brilliant morning vision!
The fading cheats, call'd love and truth,
But themes for riper man's derision!
Is but a brilliant morning vision!
The fading cheats, call'd love and truth,
But themes for riper man's derision!
Yet, who but sees with fond regret
These phantoms bright, so quickly wasted?
Oh! stay dear forms, and cheat me yet,
For pleasant were ye while ye lasted!
These phantoms bright, so quickly wasted?
Oh! stay dear forms, and cheat me yet,
For pleasant were ye while ye lasted!
But now adieu to idle dreaming,
For manhood's graver brain too light,
Int'rest sedate, with sober seeming,
Puts every gentler shade to flight!
For manhood's graver brain too light,
Int'rest sedate, with sober seeming,
Puts every gentler shade to flight!
Yet even int'rest's form shall perish!
Int'rest must fade like all the rest!
And let it go-for who would cherish
Care's ugliest night-mare in his breast!
Int'rest must fade like all the rest!
And let it go-for who would cherish
Care's ugliest night-mare in his breast!
Now Father Time, who ne'er reposes
Leads to the couch, with rapid feet,
Where failing nature dreams and dozes
On the cold worm and winding-sheet!
Leads to the couch, with rapid feet,
Where failing nature dreams and dozes
On the cold worm and winding-sheet!
What is a dream?—the earth, the sky,
Our love and hate, our joy and sorrow,
Shall all dissolve beneath our eye,
And prove an empty dream to-morrow!
Our love and hate, our joy and sorrow,
Shall all dissolve beneath our eye,
And prove an empty dream to-morrow!
Miser, the hoard thou gazest on
Is not so solid as thou deemest;
Thy glittering heap shall soon be gone,
It is but air, and thou but dreamest!
Is not so solid as thou deemest;
Thy glittering heap shall soon be gone,
It is but air, and thou but dreamest!
Poet, these dreamers laugh at thee,
And mock thy fancy's fragile scheming,
Too much asleep, poor elves, to see,
That they themselves are only dreaming!
And mock thy fancy's fragile scheming,
Too much asleep, poor elves, to see,
That they themselves are only dreaming!