The Nearest Dream Recedes, Unrealized
This poem explores the theme of unfulfilled longing and the elusiveness of happiness. The speaker describes a dream that recedes further away with each attempt to grasp it, leaving only a sense of disappointment and disillusionment. The poem suggests that the pursuit of happiness can be a futile endeavor, as the more we strive for it, the more it slips through our fingers.
By Emily Dickinson · First published 1890 · Genre: Poetry, Philosophical, Nature · 108 words
First lines
The nearest dream recedes, unrealized.
The heaven we chase / Like the June bee / Before the school-boy / Invites the race; / Stoops to an easy clover -- / Dips -- evades -- teases -- deploys; / Then to the royal clouds / Lifts his light pinnace / Heedless of the boy / Staring, bewildered, at the mocking sky.
Homesick for steadfast honey, / Ah! the bee flies not / That brews that rare variety.
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The Nearest Dream Recedes, Unrealized is listed on Textopian as a poem by Emily Dickinson, dated 1890 CE.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: Emily Dickinson
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Philosophical, Nature, Existential
- Length: 108 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
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Similar titles
- On The Bleakness Of My Lot by Emily Dickinson
- Transplanted by Emily Dickinson
- Waiting by Emily Dickinson
- Reticence by Emily Dickinson
- Pompless No Life Can Pass Away by Emily Dickinson
- Melodies Unheard by Emily Dickinson
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, utilizing poetic devices such as metaphor and imagery.
- Philosophical — The themes explore abstract concepts like the pursuit of dreams and the nature of desire.
- Nature — The poem uses natural imagery, such as bees and clover, to convey its themes.
- Existential — The work reflects on the human condition and the elusiveness of fulfillment.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Nature Imagery · Dreams · Unrealized Potential · Longing · Melancholy · Solitude · Existentialism · Philosophy · Symbolism