The Last Dream
By Gilbert Parker
One more dream in the slow night watches,
One more sleep when the world is dumb,
And his soul leans out to the sweet wild snatches
Of song that up from dreamland come.
Pale, pale face with a golden setting,
Deep, deep glow of stedfast eyes;
Form of one there is no forgetting,
Wandering out of Paradise.
Breath of balm, and a languor falling
Out of the gleam of a sunset sky;
Peace, deep peace and a seraph’s calling,
Folded hands and a pleading cry.
One more dream for the patient singer,
Weary with songs he loved so well;
Sleeping now — will the vision bring her?
Hark, ‘tis the sound of the passing bell!
Poem Analysis:
Gilbert Parker's poem "The Last Dream" captures a poignant moment of reflection and longing, set against the serene backdrop of sleep and dreams. The poem delves into themes of memory, yearning, and the boundary between life and death, employing vivid imagery and a rhythmic structure to evoke deep emotions.
Themes
- Memory and Longing: The poem centers on the speaker’s yearning for a lost love or an idealized figure, who appears in his dreams. This figure is described with a “pale, pale face with a golden setting” and “deep, deep glow of stedfast eyes,” signifying an ethereal and unforgettable presence. The repeated dream suggests an intense longing and the power of memory to sustain and haunt the speaker.
- The Boundary between Life and Death: The poem juxtaposes the peace and tranquility of sleep with the finality of death. The “passing bell” at the end symbolizes death, suggesting that this dream might be the speaker’s last, making the vision of the loved one even more significant. The imagery of “Folded hands and a pleading cry” further emphasizes the plea for peace and resolution in the afterlife.
- The Power of Dreams: Dreams serve as a bridge between the conscious and the unconscious, the real and the ideal. The speaker’s soul “leans out to the sweet wild snatches / Of song that up from dreamland come,” highlighting how dreams offer a refuge from the harshness of reality and a connection to the divine or the spiritual realm.
Imagery and Symbolism
- Ethereal Imagery: Parker uses ethereal and serene imagery to paint the dream world. Descriptions like “sweet wild snatches of song,” “golden setting,” and “gleam of a sunset sky” evoke a sense of calm and beauty, creating a stark contrast with the somber tone of the passing bell.
- The Passing Bell: The passing bell, traditionally rung to mark someone’s death, symbolizes the end of life and the transition to the afterlife. Its sound signifies finality and the inevitable approach of death, underscoring the theme of mortality that runs through the poem.
- The Seraph’s Calling: The mention of a seraph (a type of angel) calling suggests a divine or spiritual summons, reinforcing the idea of the dreamer being called to the afterlife. This adds a layer of religious or spiritual significance to the poem, implying that the dreamer’s journey is not just an end but a transition to a higher plane.
Structure and Tone
- Rhythmic Structure: The poem’s rhythmic structure and flow contribute to its soothing and contemplative tone. The use of enjambment, where lines flow into one another without a break, mirrors the seamless transition between wakefulness and sleep, life and death.
- Contemplative and Melancholic Tone: The tone is both contemplative and melancholic, reflecting the speaker’s introspection and sorrow. The “slow night watches” and the “weary” singer convey a sense of exhaustion and resignation, as if the speaker is ready to embrace the final sleep.
"The Last Dream" by Gilbert Parker is a hauntingly beautiful meditation on memory, longing, and the inevitability of death. Through ethereal imagery and a contemplative tone, Parker captures the delicate balance between the serenity of dreams and the finality of life’s end. The poem serves as a poignant reminder of the power of dreams to connect us with our deepest desires and the loved ones we have lost, even as it acknowledges the inevitability of our final passage.