The House Of Dust: Part 02: 02: The Fulfilled Dream Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJAK ALMDNOP QGRSTUVAPIJ WAQXYHZIGQA2NZ TB2AAC2D2MQE2QHF2QG2 H2 I2J2K2L2M2N2O2DP2CPQ LMore towers must yet be built mdash more towers destroyed mdash | A |
Great rocks hoisted in air | B |
And he must seek his bread in high pale sunlight | C |
With gulls about him and clouds just over his eyes | D |
And so he did not mention his dream of falling | E |
But drank his coffee in silence and heard in his ears | F |
That horrible whistle of wind and felt his breath | G |
Sucked out of him and saw the tower flash by | H |
And the small tree swell beneath him | I |
He patted his boy on the head and kissed his wife | J |
Looked quickly around the room to remember it mdash | A |
And so went out For once he forgot his pail | K |
- | |
Something had changed mdash but it was not the street mdash | A |
The street was just the same mdash it was himself | L |
Puddles flashed in the sun In the pawn shop door | M |
The same old black cat winked green amber eyes | D |
The butcher stood by his window tying his apron | N |
The same men walked beside him smoking pipes | O |
Reading the morning paper | P |
- | |
He would not yield he thought and walk more slowly | Q |
As if he knew for certain he walked to death | G |
But with his usual pace mdash deliberate firm | R |
Looking about him calmly watching the world | S |
Taking his ease Yet when he thought again | T |
Of the same dream now dreamed three separate times | U |
Always the same and heard that whistling wind | V |
And saw the windows flashing upward past him mdash | A |
He slowed his pace a little and thought with horror | P |
How monstrously that small tree thrust to meet him | I |
He slowed his pace a little and remembered his wife | J |
- | |
Was forty then too old for work like this | W |
Why should it be He'd never been afraid mdash | A |
His eye was sure his hand was steady | Q |
But dreams had meanings | X |
He walked more slowly and looked along the roofs | Y |
All built by men and saw the pale blue sky | H |
And suddenly he was dizzy with looking at it | Z |
It seemed to whirl and swim | I |
It seemed the color of terror of speed of death | G |
He lowered his eyes to the stones he walked more slowly | Q |
His thoughts were blown and scattered like leaves | A2 |
He thought of the pail Why then was it forgotten | N |
Because he would not need it | Z |
- | |
Then just as he was grouping his thoughts again | T |
About that drug store corner under an arc lamp | B2 |
Where first he met the girl whom he would marry mdash | A |
That blue eyed innocent girl in a soft blouse mdash | A |
He waved his hand for signal and up he went | C2 |
In the dusty chute that hugged the wall | D2 |
Above the tree from girdered floor to floor | M |
Above the flattening roofs until the sea | Q |
Lay wide and waved before him And then he stepped | E2 |
Giddily out from that security | Q |
To the red rib of iron against the sky | H |
And walked along it feeling it sing and tremble | F2 |
And looking down one instant saw the tree | Q |
Just as he dreamed it was and looked away | G2 |
And up again feeling his blood go wild | H2 |
- | |
He gave the signal the long girder swung | I2 |
Closer to him dropped clanging into place | J2 |
Almost pushing him off Pneumatic hammers | K2 |
Began their madhouse clatter the white hot rivets | L2 |
Were tossed from below and deftly caught in pails | M2 |
He signalled again and wiped his mouth and thought | N2 |
A place so high in the air should be more quiet | O2 |
The tree far down below teased at his eyes | D |
Teased at the corners of them until he looked | P2 |
And felt his body go suddenly small and light | C |
Felt his brain float off like a dwindling vapor | P |
And heard a whistle of wind and saw a tree | Q |
Come plunging up to him and thought to himself | L |
'By God mdash I'm done for now the dream was right ' | - |
Conrad Potter Aiken
(1)
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