A Dream Poem by Helen Hunt Jackson

A Dream

Rating: 3.4


I dreamed that I ws dead and crossed the heavens,--
Heavens after heavens with burning feet and swift,--
And cried: "O God, where art Thou?" I left one
On earth, whose burden I would pray Thee lift."

I was so dead I wondered at no thing,--
Not even that the angels slowly turned
Their faces, speechless, as I hurried by
(Beneath my feet the golden pavements burned);

Nor, at the first, that I could not find God,
Because the heavens stretched endlessly like space.
At last a terror siezed my very soul;
I seemed alone in all the crowded place.

Then, sudden, one compassionate cried out,
Though like the rest his face from me he turned,
As I were one no angel might regard
(Beneath my feet the golden pavements burned):

"No moew in heaven than earth will he find God
Who does not know his loving mercy swift
But waits the moment consummate and ripe,
Each burden, from each human soul to lift."

Though I was dead, I died again for shame;
Lonely, to flee from heaven again I turned;
The ranks of angels looked away from me
(Beneath my feet the golden pavements burned).

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Susan Williams 25 March 2016

I can only repeat the good words of Ingeborg below. We do need to pray for one another now whilst we're still here on earth

20 0 Reply
Seamus O Brian 17 July 2017

A moving reminder that we do not have to ascend to the heavens to beseech Divine grace, for his love and mercy are already at work among us here in the strife and turmoil of life. Provocatively expressed.

3 0 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 17 July 2017

Crossed the heavens! ! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

2 0 Reply
Patricia Grantham 17 July 2017

A magnificent write that I truly enjoyed. Full of depth and meaning. Dead but yet still very much full of life. A great metaphor.

2 0 Reply
Hassan Hayati 17 July 2017

thoughts are magnificent, to be all alone among the crowd

2 0 Reply
Savita Tyagi 17 July 2018

its a cry for all of us to feel. lifting the burden of others is what all of us should have in mind. Great poem.

1 0 Reply
Susan Williams 17 July 2018

There is such raw pain in this and Helen Hunt Jackson is the mistress of touching the hearts of all her readers with not only pain but every raw emotion that mankind can feel. 10++++++++++++++++++++++++

6 0 Reply
Kumarmani Mahakul 17 July 2018

A dreamful poem nicely executed. It is nice to be chosen as the poem of the day.

1 0 Reply
Adrian Flett 17 July 2018

'alone in a crowed place' We rest with faith and hope.

1 0 Reply
Mahtab Bangalee 17 July 2018

death- kisses me with fired lips, grasps me with burned souls, I am dead - dead in blues womb from tears I sketch the tomb lamps of nightmare on the air balloon shadow or phantom........................... /// excellent great writing always

1 0 Reply
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Helen Hunt Jackson

Helen Hunt Jackson

Amherst, Massachusetts
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