Only in Dreams
The poem explores the theme of unrequited love and longing. The speaker describes a romantic relationship that exists only in their dreams, where they are free to express their emotions without fear of rejection or judgment. In reality, however, the speaker is unable to confess their feelings to the beloved, who remains oblivious to their affections.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1889 · Genre: Poetry, Romance, Drama · 239 words
First lines
How strange are dreams. Last night I dreamed about you. All that old bitterness of loss and pain, The desolation of my lot without you, The keen regret, all, all came back again.
Again I faced that terrible old sorrow; Too numb to weep, too cowardly to pray. Again the blankness of a dread to-morrow Filled me with sickly terror and dismay.
I woke in tears; but lo! a moment after, When every vestige of my dream was fled, I broke the silence of my room with laughter, To think sleep had revived a thing so dead.
Thank God, that only in the realms of fancy Can that old sorrow wake again to strife. No fate is strong enough -- no necromancy -- To make it stir one pulse of my calm life.
What this Textopian page supports
Only in Dreams is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1889 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romance, Drama, Psychological Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Length: 239 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Only in Dreams by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- Only A Glove by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Before And After by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Separation by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Only The Diamond by Edna St Vincent Millay
- Remembered by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Sweeter Was Loss by Edna St Vincent Millay
Genres
- Poetry — The text is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Romance — The themes revolve around love, loss, and emotional reflection.
- Drama — The narrative explores intense emotional experiences and personal conflict.
- Psychological Fiction — The work delves into the inner emotional and mental states of the narrator.
Tags
Romance · Poetry · Love · Dreams · Imagination · Fantasy · Emotional · Introspective · Personal · Reflective · Melancholic · Nostalgic