Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A DREAM, by THOMAS HOOD


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A DREAM, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Twas night - the globe was folded up
Last Line: "behold the fighting smith!"
Subject(s): Dreams; Ireland; Nightmares; Irish


'TWAS night -- the Globe was folded up,
(The paper, not the earth,)
And to its proper shelf restored
The fairest "Maid of Perth:"
But still with strange intricacy
The things that I had read --
The Irish News, the Scottish Tale --
Kept running in my head;
While over all a sort of mist
Began to slowly creep,
The twilight haze of Thought, before
It darkens into Sleep;
A foggy land where shady shapes
Kept stirring in the gloom,
Till with a hint of brighter tint
One spot began to bloom,
And on the blank, by dreamy prank,
I saw a figure tall,
As vivid as from painted glass,
Projected on a wall!

The face as well as I could trace,
Two sparkling eyes were there,
Black as the beard, and trim moustache,
And curling head of hair;
The nose was straight, the mouth was large,
The lips disclosed beneath
A set, full white and regular,
Of strong and handsome teeth --
The whiter, that his brow and cheek,
And thick uncovered gorge,
Were ruddy as if baked by heat
Of sun or glowing forge.

His dress was buff, or some such stuff,
And belted at the waist;
A curious dirk, for stabbing work,
Was in the girdle placed,
Beside a sort of pouch or purse
Of some wild creature's skin,
To safely hold his store of gold
Or silver coin therein; --
But -- suddenly his doublet changed
To one of brighter hue,
A jerkin fair and superfine,
Of cloth of azure blue,
Slash'd front and back with satin black,
Embroider'd o'er and laced
With sable silk, as used to suit
The ancient time and taste;
His hose were of the Flemish cut,
His boots of Cordovan;
A velvet bonnet on his head,
Like that of Scottish man, --
Nay, not a velvet one, -- for why,
As dreams are apt to deal,
With sudden change, as swift as strange,
It shone a cap of steel!

His coat of buff, or azure stuff,
Became a hauberk bright,
No longer gay in his array,
But harness'd for the Fight!
Huge was his frame, and muscular,
Indicative of strength:
His bosom broad, his brawny arms
Of more than common length;
And well the sturdy limbs might be
So sinewy, stark, and strong,
That had to wield in battle-field
A sword so broad and long!
Few men there were of mortal mould,
Although of warlike trade,
But had been rash to stand the crash
Of that tremendous blade;
And yet aloft he swung it oft,
As if of feather weight,
And cut amid the empty air
A monstrous figure eight;
Whilst ever, as it cleft the wind,
A whisper came therewith,
That low and clear, said in my ear,
"Behold the Fighting Smith!"

And lo! another "change came o'er
The spirit of my dream:"
The hauberk bright no longer shone
With that metallic gleam --
No ruddy visage furnace-scorch'd,
With glowing eyes, was there,
No sable beard, no trim moustache,
Nor head of raven hair;
No steely cap, with plume mayhap,
No bonnet small or big;
Upon his brow there settled now
A curly powder'd Wig!
Beneath the chin two cambric bands
Demurely drooped adown;
And from his brawny shoulders hung
A black forensic gown.
No mail beneath, to guard from death,
Or wounds in battle dealt,
Nor ready dirk for stabbing work,
Dependent at his belt --
His right hand bore no broad claymore,
But with a flourish, soon
He waved a Pistol huge enough
For any horse-dragoon,
And whilst he pointed to and fro,
As if to aim therewith,
Still in my ear, the voice was clear,
"Behold the Fighting Smith!"





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