A Dream Within a Dream is a short poem by Edgar Allan Poe, published in its final form in 1849. In two stanzas, the speaker parts from a loved one and then, standing on a stormy shore, watches grains of sand slip through his fingers, asking whether everything we see is only a dream.
Two stanzas
In the first stanza the speaker kisses someone goodbye and admits that his days have been a dream, though that does not make the loss any less.
In the second he stands by the sea, holding sand that runs through his fingers, unable to keep a single grain.
Reality and illusion
The poem asks whether reality can be grasped at all, a question that haunts much of Poe's work.
The image of sand slipping away suggests both the passing of time and the impossibility of holding on to what we love.
A long revision
Poe reworked the poem over many years, from an early version called Imitation in 1827 to its final form, published in the Flag of Our Union in 1849, the year of his death.
It is now one of his most quoted short poems, often read alongside The Raven and Annabel Lee.
Anecdotes
A sea of memories
Poe grew up partly in Richmond, Virginia, and spent some time near the coast while in the army in South Carolina, landscapes that may echo in his sea imagery.
The collected works
The poem was included in The Works of the Late Edgar Allan Poe, edited after his death by Rufus Griswold, a rival who also spread damaging stories about him.
Frequently asked questions
When was the poem published in its final form?
In 1849.
What does the speaker hold in his hand?
Grains of sand.
How many stanzas does the poem have?
Two.