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A Dream By William Allingham • John Noh :D
I heard the dogs howl in the moonlight night; I went to the window to see the sight;All the Dead that ever I knew Going one by one and two by two. On they pass'd, and on they pass'd; Townsfellows all, from first to last; Born in the moonlight of the lane, Quench'd in the heavy shadow again. Schoolmates, marching as when they play'd At soldiers once - but now more staid; Those were the strangest sight to me Who were drown'd, I knew, in the awful sea.Straight and handsome folk, bent and weak, too; Some that I loved, and gasp'd to speak to;Some but a day in their churchyard bed; Some that I had not known were dead.
A long, long crowd - where each seem'd lonely, Yet of them all there was one, one only, Raised a head or look'd my way; She linger'd a moment - she might not stay. How long since I saw that fair pale face! Ah! Mother dear! might I only place My head on thy breast, a moment to rest, While thy hand on my tearful cheek were prest! On, on, a moving bridge they made Across the moon-stream, from shade to shade, Young and old, women and men; Many long-forgot, but remembered then, And first there came a bitter laughter;A sound of tears a moment after; And then a music so lofty and gay, That eve morning, day by day, I strive to recall it if I may.
William Allingham’s Background • Was born in Ballyshannon, Country Donegal, Ireland • Son of the manager of a local bank • ( Father of English Decent ) • Until 1870 Allingham worked in a custom-home of his • native town and held posts in Ireland and England • After retiring, he became a sub-editor of Fraser’s • Magazine (1874 – 1879) • Marrid Helen Paterson • Died at Hampstead in 1889 • Known to have produced excellent lyrical and descriptive poetry • ‘His verse is clear, fresh, and graceful.’
After Death (influences on pop culture) • The opening lines of his famous poem, The Fairies, (Up the airy mountain) was quoted in the beginning of – Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory- by the character, The Tinker. • Hellboy the corpse: ‘Down the rushy glen’ • Don’t Look in the Basement: ‘We daren’t go a-hunting’ • Supergirl comic book: ‘For fear of little men'
Themes • Religion? – as the poem is about ‘dead’ the poet may believe in afterlife? Or spirituality? • Life and Death – straight forward as the poem is about the poet dreaming and visualising dead people • Love – The poets reunion with his beloved mother • Self-Healing – The poet is looking back at his dream/vision which gives him a little bit of comfort and ease
Analysis of Poem ‘I Heard the dogs howl in the moonlight light’ • Dogs which are ancestors of wolves also howl at the moon like them. From the 1500’s people started believe that dogs howling at the moon was foreshadowing paranormal events or evil as dogs are known to have a 6th sense for paranormal activity ( dead people rising ). The dogs and their behaviour are metaphoric as not only do they catch the poets attention, but they also show their genetic behaviours which is to howl which represent communication with others, can in this case it is the dead. ‘Going one by one and two by two.’ - Immediately it reminds you of a military march or a group of soldiers that are prepared for action. It may also mean ‘two by two’ may be couples have met after both passing away. The phrase seems like they are commanded to march to a certain destination.
Analysis of Poem ‘ On they passed, and on they passed’ -The repetition of the words show the poet emphasizing the size of the dead crowd that the poet can view while looking out of his window. ‘Townsfellows all, from first to last’ • This is a very strange as this shows also people he does not know have appeared in his ‘dream’, and not just family and friends. The brain cannot form human faces/figures which haven’t been seen and remembered in the brain. ‘Born in the moonlight of the lane’ - The word ‘born’ shows they have been destined to do something, and in this situation is seems like they are following a path that has been lit and set up for them to follow even through the darkness of the world (moonlight). ‘Light leading the way’
Analysis of Poem ‘Who were drowned, I knew, in the awful sea.’ • This may mean multiple different meanings: tragic deaths? People who die in sin? (religious reference) By how the poet says ‘I knew’ seems like it was a personal experience. ‘Yet of them all there was one, one only,’ • This shows out of the ‘zombies’ that are walking like they are controlled, there is someone who is standing out of the crowd. Someone that plays a very important role in the poets life. The comma and repetition of the word ‘one’ creates suspense anxiety. ‘Raised a head or looked my way’ - There is something different about this person as it stood out from the crowd, as it was the only one who moved differently. This also supports the idea that this person is significant compared to the others.
Analysis of Poem ‘ She lingered a moment, - she might not stay’ • The poets mother shows hesitation but breaks her ‘born role of following the lane’ to see her son for the first time and maybe the last since her departure into the other side. This shows the strong connection of the relationship between mother and son. ‘ My Head on thy breast, a moment to rest,’ • The tone seems nothing more and nothing less than a moment of happiness. A mother – child connection is said to be the most powerful bond of life and the poet feels this connection one more time. He wants a moment to rest to savour the moment and wants that moment for life. ‘While thy hand on my tearful cheek were pressed!’ - The exclamation mark shows how grateful and surprised he is as it feels like reality and his mixed emotions are also shown through his ‘tearful cheek;.
Analysis of Poem ‘And then a music so lofty and gay,’ • The comma shows the poet looking back and thinking about his dream. The ‘music so lofty and gay’ shows his emotions as his spirits are elevated and full of pure happiness to remember and experience a moment with his loved mother once again even though it was a dream. Music is the metaphor used as it represents the moment and memory can now be played back over and over again. ‘ I strive to recall it if I may.’ - The full-stop shows the end of the stanza and the poem in this case. This final line is straight forward but also very meaningful as the poet is clearly trying to say he will try to remember the dream and the moment with his mother for as long as he can remember ‘if I may’.
Summary - Even though William Allingham uses gothic and evil symbols he still manages to produce the poem into the complete opposite, something that is heart warming, graceful and touching. The tone throughout the whole poem is not surprised as maybe he knows it is a dream or maybe he is just fascinated to see such an event occurring before his eyes. The poem’s theme and mood is completely changed when he spots his mother in the crowd and this is when the first sign of emotion presents itself. The last two stanzas are outcasts from the rest of the poem because not only does it show how loss can impact someone but also how such an event can make someone so vulnerable and change the vibe completely. Nearly all the time people ignore dreams saying ‘It was just a dream’ but to the narrator this is a significant experience and ‘strive to recall’ the dream everyday rather than ignore it.
