'The House Of Dust: Part 02: 02: The Fulfilled Dream' by Conrad Aiken

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The House of Dust1917More towers must yet be built-more towers destroyed-
Great rocks hoisted in air;
And he must seek his bread in high pale sunlight
With gulls about him, and clouds just over his eyes . . .
And so he did not mention his dream of falling
But drank his coffee in silence, and heard in his ears
That horrible whistle of wind, and felt his breath
Sucked out of him, and saw the tower flash by
And the small tree swell beneath him . . .
He patted his boy on the head, and kissed his wife,
Looked quickly around the room, to remember it,-
And so went out . . .For once, he forgot his pail.Something had changed-but it was not the street-
The street was just the same-it was himself.
Puddles flashed in the sun.In the pawn-shop door
The same old black cat winked green amber eyes;
The butcher stood by his window tying his apron;
The same men walked beside him, smoking pipes,
Reading the morning paper . . .He would not yield, he thought, and walk more slowly,
As if he knew for certain he walked to death:
But with his usual pace,-deliberate, firm,
Looking about him calmly, watching the world,
Taking his ease . . .Yet, when he thought again
Of the same dream, now dreamed three separate times,
Always the same, and heard that whistling wind,
And saw the windows flashing upward past him,-
He slowed his pace a little, and thought with horror
How monstrously that small tree thrust to meet him! . . .
He slowed his pace a little and remembered his wife.Was forty, then, too old for work like this?
Why should it be?He'd never been afraid-
His eye was sure, his hand was steady . . .
But dreams had meanings.
He walked more slowly, and looked along the roofs,
All built by men, and saw the pale blue sky;
And suddenly he was dizzy with looking at it,
It seemed to whirl and swim,
It seemed the color of terror, of speed, of death . . .
He lowered his eyes to the stones, he walked more slowly;
His thoughts were blown and scattered like leaves;
He thought of the pail . . . Why, then, was it forgotten?
Because he would not need it?Then, just as he was grouping his thoughts again
About that drug-store corner, under an arc-lamp,
Where first he met the girl whom he would marry,-
That blue-eyed innocent girl, in a soft blouse,-
He waved his hand for signal, and up he went
In the dusty chute that hugged the wall;
Above the tree; from girdered floor to floor;
Above the flattening roofs, until the sea
Lay wide and waved before him . . . And then he stepped
Giddily out, from that security,
To the red rib of iron against the sky,
And walked along it, feeling it sing and tremble;
And looking down one instant, saw the tree
Just as he dreamed it was; and looked away,
And up again, feeling his blood go wild.He gave the signal; the long girder swung
Closer to him, dropped clanging into place,
Almost pushing him off.Pneumatic hammers
Began their madhouse clatter, the white-hot rivets
Were tossed from below and deftly caught in pails;
He signalled again, and wiped his mouth, and thought
A place so high in the air should be more quiet.
The tree, far down below, teased at his eyes,
Teased at the corners of them, until he looked,
And felt his body go suddenly small and light;
Felt his brain float off like a dwindling vapor;
And heard a whistle of wind, and saw a tree
Come plunging up to him, and thought to himself,
'By God-I'm done for now, the dream was right . . .'

Editor 1 Interpretation

The House Of Dust: Part 02: 02: The Fulfilled Dream by Conrad Aiken

Have you ever read a poem that left you feeling like you've been transported to another world? One that made you feel like you were floating on air, lost in a dream-like state? Well, that's exactly how Conrad Aiken's "The House of Dust: Part 02: 02: The Fulfilled Dream" made me feel. Aiken's use of vivid imagery, repetition, and symbolism created a world so rich and vivid that it felt like I was living in it.

The Dream World

From the title alone, you can infer that this poem is about a dream, a fulfilled dream to be exact. But it's not just any dream, it's a dream that's so perfect that it leaves the dreamer yearning for more. Aiken's use of imagery transports us to this dream world, where "the roses hang their heads, / And the lilies curl their lips, / And the wand'ring breaths of the wind / Are heavy with odors and sighs." (lines 3-6)

The world Aiken has created is one of pure beauty, where even the flowers themselves seem to be alive and yearning for something more. This dream world is a stark contrast to reality, where "The streets are full of dust and smoke / And hungry people cry; / The pavements are unlovely stones, / The skies are hard and dry." (lines 7-10)

We can see that this dream world is a place of refuge, a place where the dreamer can escape the harsh realities of life. And who wouldn't want to escape to a world as beautiful as this?

The Yearning

But as we read on, we see that this dream world is not enough for the dreamer. They yearn for something more, something that they can't quite put their finger on. Aiken's use of repetition in lines 11-14 emphasizes the dreamer's yearning:

Oh, to be back in that perfect world,
With the roses hanging their heads!
O, to be back in that dreamful world,
With the lilies curling their lips!

The repetition of "Oh" and "O" gives the lines a sense of urgency, as if the dreamer is pleading to be taken back to this world. But what is it that they're really yearning for?

The Symbolism

As we continue to read, we see that the dreamer is not just yearning for the beauty of the dream world, but for something deeper. Aiken's use of symbolism in lines 15-16 reveals the dreamer's true desire:

For the dreamer in me must know life
As it is or nothing at all.

The dreamer is not content with just living in the dream world, they want to experience life for what it truly is. They want to experience the highs and lows, the joy and the pain. They don't want to live in a dream world where everything is perfect, they want to live in the real world where things are messy and imperfect.

But why is this so important to the dreamer? Aiken gives us a hint in lines 17-18:

And the longing in me must be fed;
The spirit that feeds on beauty alone

The dreamer's longing must be fed, but not just with any kind of nourishment. They need nourishment for their spirit, something that feeds on beauty alone. This gives us a glimpse into the dreamer's true nature. They are a dreamer, someone who is in touch with the beauty of the world. But they are also someone who needs to experience life in all its glory, someone who needs to feel the highs and lows of existence.

The Conclusion

As we reach the end of the poem, we see that the dreamer has come to a realization. Aiken's use of repetition in lines 19-20 emphasizes the dreamer's newfound understanding:

For life, for life, and not for beauty,
Must the spirit that seeks for perfection, pine.

The dreamer understands that life is not just about beauty, it's about experiencing everything that life has to offer. The spirit that seeks for perfection must pine for life, not just for beauty.

In conclusion, Conrad Aiken's "The House of Dust: Part 02: 02: The Fulfilled Dream" is a beautiful poem that takes us on a journey through the dream world of the dreamer. Aiken's use of imagery, repetition, and symbolism creates a world so vivid that it feels like we're living in it. The dreamer's yearning for something more, something deeper, is a universal theme that we can all relate to. And in the end, the dreamer's realization that life is not just about beauty, but about experiencing everything that life has to offer, is a powerful message that we can all take to heart.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The House of Dust: Part 02: 02: The Fulfilled Dream by Conrad Aiken is a classic poem that explores the themes of love, loss, and the passage of time. This poem is a part of the larger work, The House of Dust, which is a collection of poems that Aiken wrote over the course of several years. In this particular poem, Aiken uses vivid imagery and powerful language to convey the emotions of the speaker as they reflect on a past love.

The poem begins with the speaker describing a dream that they had. In this dream, they are reunited with a past love and they are able to relive the moments of their relationship that brought them joy. The speaker describes the dream as being "fulfilled," which suggests that they had been longing for this reunion for some time. The dream is described in great detail, with the speaker recounting the sights, sounds, and sensations that they experienced. This attention to detail helps to create a vivid picture in the reader's mind and allows them to feel as though they are experiencing the dream alongside the speaker.

As the dream progresses, the speaker becomes more and more immersed in the memories of their past love. They describe the way that their lover's hair smelled, the sound of their laughter, and the way that their touch felt. These descriptions are incredibly powerful and evoke a sense of longing and nostalgia in the reader. The speaker's use of sensory language helps to create a visceral experience for the reader, allowing them to feel as though they are experiencing the same emotions as the speaker.

As the dream comes to an end, the speaker is filled with a sense of sadness and loss. They describe the feeling of waking up and realizing that the dream was not real, and that their past love is still gone. This sense of loss is palpable and is conveyed through the speaker's use of language. They describe feeling as though they are "alone in the dark," which suggests that they are struggling to come to terms with the reality of their situation.

Despite the sadness that the speaker feels, there is also a sense of acceptance and resignation in their words. They acknowledge that their past love is gone and that they cannot change the past. However, they also express a sense of gratitude for the time that they did have with their lover. They describe the memories of their past love as being "sweet" and "precious," which suggests that they cherish the time that they spent together.

Overall, The House of Dust: Part 02: 02: The Fulfilled Dream is a powerful and emotional poem that explores the themes of love, loss, and the passage of time. Aiken's use of vivid imagery and sensory language helps to create a visceral experience for the reader, allowing them to feel as though they are experiencing the same emotions as the speaker. The poem is a poignant reminder of the fleeting nature of love and the importance of cherishing the time that we have with those we care about.

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