HAVE YOU found me, at last, O my Dream? Seven eons ago
You died and I buried you deep under forests of snow.
Why have you come hither? Who bade you awake from your sleep
And track me beyond the cerulean foam of the deep?
Would you tear from my lintels these sacred green garlands of leaves?
Would you scare the white, nested, wild pigeons of joy from my eaves?
Would you touch and defile with dead fingers the robes of my priest?
Would you weave your dim moan with the chantings of love at my feast?
Go back to your grave, O my Dream, under forests of snow,
Where a heart-riven child hid you once, seven eons ago.
Who bade you arise from your darkness? I bid you depart!
Profane not the shrines I have raised in the clefts of my heart.
"My Dead Dream" by Sarojini Naidu is a poignant and reflective poem that explores the theme of lost dreams and the passage of time. Through its evocative language and emotional depth, the poem conveys a sense of longing, regret, and the bittersweet nature of unfulfilled aspirations.
The poem's title, "My Dead Dream," immediately suggests a sense of finality and loss. The use of the word "dead" in relation to a dream conveys a profound feeling of disappointment and the idea that the dream has been irreversibly extinguished.
The poem opens with the speaker describing the dream as having "lain heavy on my heart." This suggests the weight of unfulfilled expectations and the emotional impact of the dream's demise.
Sarojini Naidu employs vivid and sensory imagery throughout the poem, describing the dream's various elements in intricate detail. The "unshed tear" and "unuttered word" convey a sense of stifled emotion and unexpressed potential.
The poem's reflective tone and melancholic language invite readers to empathize with the speaker's feelings of loss and missed opportunities. The repetition of "Ah me!" and "Alas!" underscores the emotional weight of the poem.
Ultimately, "My Dead Dream" captures the universal experience of unfulfilled aspirations and the emotions that come with letting go of what could have been. The poem prompts readers to reflect on their own dreams and the fleeting nature of time, while also serving as a reminder to cherish and pursue one's aspirations while they are still within reach.
