--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dreams are true while they last, and do…" description: "\"Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in dreams?\" — Alfred Lord Tennyson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/alfred-lord-tennyson-521_dream_dreams-are-true-while-they-last-and-do-w_2579610.png" --- # Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in… ![“Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in dreams?” quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/alfred-lord-tennyson-521_dream_dreams-are-true-while-they-last-and-do-w_2579610.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/alfred-lord-tennyson-521_dream_dreams-are-true-while-they-last-and-do-w_2579610.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/alfred-lord-tennyson-521_dream_dreams-are-true-while-they-last-and-do-w_2579610.png) > “Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in dreams?” [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dreams feel real while they endure, prompting us to question whether life itself is a dream. **In simple terms:** Dreams seem real; life may be a dream too. Key Takeaway Question reality’s nature. Themes philosophy perception existentialism dreams Mood pensive curious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - literature - psychology - spiritual practice - daily life - art Key Concepts subjective reality epistemology illusion Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports life as a dream? - How does this perspective affect daily choices? A Different Perspective Dreams are fleeting, making conclusions unstable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) ## Related quotes > [Don't live in dreams, Don't live in past, A way to live forever, Is living in other's heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/don-t-live-in-dreams-don-t-live-in-past-a-way-to-live-forever-is/) Senoraroy > [I live in my dreams — that's what you sense. Other people live in dreams, but not in their own. That's the difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-live-in-my-dreams-that-s-what-you-sense-other-people-live-in-dreams/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This is what happens when you live in dreams, he thought: you dream this and you dream that and you sleep right through your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/this-is-what-happens-when-you-live-in-dreams-he-thought-you-dream/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [“I want to let myself die and live in dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-cruz/i-want-to-let-myself-die-and-live-in-dreams/) [Angie Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-cruz/) > [Your harshest truths are dreams, and your gentlest dreams are true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/your-harshest-truths-are-dreams-and-your-gentlest-dreams-are-true/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“I don't know much about spirits. I live in my dreams--that's what you sense. Other people live in dreams, but not in their own.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesse-hermann/i-don-t-know-much-about-spirits-i-live-in-my-dreams-that-s-what-you/) HESSE HERMANN > [“Live your dreams. Breathe your dreams. Never give up on your dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/live-your-dreams-breathe-your-dreams-never-give-up-on-your-dreams/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [Those dreams are true which we have in the morning, as the lamp begins to flicker. \[Lat., Namque sub Aurora jam dormitante lucerna Sommia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/those-dreams-are-true-which-we-have-in-the-morning-as-the-lamp-begins/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Give way of positive thoughts to positive action & move forward in life to make your dreams true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/give-way-of-positive-thoughts-to-positive-action-move-forward-in-life/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [I day dream about you all the time. Sometimes I even bealieve my dreams are true. But then, reality hits me and I realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia/i-day-dream-about-you-all-the-time-sometimes-i-even-bealieve-my/) [Cynthia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia/) > [Once, in a spasm of sappiness, you asked Q-Jo if she thought your dreams would ever come true. 'You aren't talking about dreams,' she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/once-in-a-spasm-of-sappiness-you-asked-q-jo-if-she-thought-your/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“When you let go of past pain, believe in yourself, and follow your dreams—you can find true happiness!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casi-mclean/when-you-let-go-of-past-pain-believe-in-yourself-and-follow-your/) Casi McLean > [“I have tried to be honest with you, although I suppose that you would really have been more interested in my not being honest.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-mortimer/i-have-tried-to-be-honest-with-you-although-i-suppose-that-you-would/) [Penelope Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-mortimer/) > [Dreams don't "come true". Dreams get "made true". You have the power to get up, execute and make beautiful results happen, day by valuable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/dreams-don-t-come-true-dreams-get-made-true-you-have-the-power-to-get/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [Hope is not a dream, it's just a way to make dreams become true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hope-is-not-a-dream-it-s-just-a-way-to-make-dreams-become-true/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Alfred Lord Tennyson > [Faith and unfaith can ne'er be equal powers; Unfaith is aught is want of faith in all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/faith-and-unfaith-can-ne-er-be-equal-powers-unfaith-is-aught-is-want/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [There is sweet music here that softer falls Than petals from blown roses on the grass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/there-is-sweet-music-here-that-softer-falls-than-petals-from-blown/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I do but sing because I must; and pipe but as the linnets sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/i-do-but-sing-because-i-must-and-pipe-but-as-the-linnets-sing/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Here about the beach I wandered, nourishing a youth sublime With the fairy tales of science, and the long result of Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/here-about-the-beach-i-wandered-nourishing-a-youth-sublime-with-the/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [So now I have sworn to bury All this dead body of hate I feel so free and so clear By the loss of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/so-now-i-have-sworn-to-bury-all-this-dead-body-of-hate-i-feel-so-free/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [The jingling of the guinea helps the hurt that Honor feels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-jingling-of-the-guinea-helps-the-hurt-that-honor-feels/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I come from haunts of coot and hern, I make a sudden sally And sparkle out among the fern, To bicker down a valley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/i-come-from-haunts-of-coot-and-hern-i-make-a-sudden-sally-and-sparkle/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Willows whiten, aspens quiver, Little breezes dusk and shiver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/willows-whiten-aspens-quiver-little-breezes-dusk-and-shiver/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Cast all your cares on God; that anchor holds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/cast-all-your-cares-on-god-that-anchor-holds/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Such a one do I remember, whom to look at was love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/such-a-one-do-i-remember-whom-to-look-at-was-love/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [If Nature put not forth her power About the opening of the flower, Who is it that could live an hour?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/if-nature-put-not-forth-her-power-about-the-opening-of-the-flower-who/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [As the husband is the wife is; thou art mated with a clown, As the grossness of his nature will have weight to drag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/as-the-husband-is-the-wife-is-thou-art-mated-with-a-clown-as-the/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Sin is too stupid to see beyond itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/sin-is-too-stupid-to-see-beyond-itself/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Thou madest man, he knows not why, he thinks he was not made to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/thou-madest-man-he-knows-not-why-he-thinks-he-was-not-made-to-die/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) [Explore all 501 Alfred Lord Tennyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) ## More Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in dreams?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alfred Lord Tennyson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/dreams-are-true-while-they-last-and-do-we-not-live-in-dreams/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dream" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/dreams-are-true-while-they-last-and-do-we-not-live-in-dreams/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/alfred-lord-tennyson-521_dream_dreams-are-true-while-they-last-and-do-w_2579610.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/alfred-lord-tennyson-521_dream_dreams-are-true-while-they-last-and-do-w_2579610.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/alfred-lord-tennyson-521_dream_dreams-are-true-while-they-last-and-do-w_2579610.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in dreams?” — Alfred Lord Tennyson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alfred Lord Tennyson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Dreams are true while they last,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/dreams-are-true-while-they-last-and-do-we-not-live-in-dreams/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/dreams-are-true-while-they-last-and-do-we-not-live-in-dreams/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```