Dream Quote by John Berryman
““Dream Song 90: Op. posth. no. 13 In the night-reaches dreamed he of better graces, of liberations, and beloved faces, such as now ere dawn he sings. It would not be easy, accustomed to these things, to give up the old world, but he could try; let it all rest, have a good cry. Let Randall rest, whom your self-torturing cannot restore one instant’s good to, rest: he’s left us now. The panic died and in the panic’s dying so did my old friend. I am headed west also, also, somehow. In the chambers of the end we’ll meet again I will say Randall, he’ll say Pussycat and all will be as before whenas we sought, among the beloved faces, eminence and were dissatisfied with that and needed more.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: Dream Song 90, 1972
The speaker reflects on loss, longing for liberation, and the difficulty of letting go, yet finds solace in moving west and meeting again in the afterlife
In simple terms: Loss and longing are painful, but moving forward offers hope
Key Takeaway
Embrace change while honoring the past
Themes
loss
longing
transcendence
hope
Mood
melancholic
hopeful
Type
poetic
reflective
When to use this quote
- funeral rites
- personal healing
- creative writing
Key Concepts
existentialism
grief processing
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance mourning with moving forward?
- What rituals help us release past attachments?
A Different Perspective
Letting go may feel impossible; nostalgia can hinder progress
