In the dream, the speaker is dead and crosses heaven after heaven, burning feet swift, crying out to God to lift the burden of someone left on earth. She’s so dead that nothing surprises her—angels turning their silent faces away, the golden pavement burning beneath her. But as heavens stretch endlessly without God, terror seizes her; she feels alone in the crowded place. Then one compassionate angel, though still turned away, explains that God won’t be found in heaven or on earth by someone who doesn’t trust His swift mercy and instead waits for the perfect moment for each burden to be lifted. Shame hits her so hard she dies again, turning to flee heaven while the ranks of angels look away and the gold still burns underfoot. The mood is lonely and awe-full, a quiet nightmare of spiritual failure, where even paradise offers no comfort.
A Dream — Summary
I dreamed that I ws dead and crossed the heavens,-- Heavens after heavens with burning feet and swift,-- And cried: "O God, where art Thou?" I left one On earth, whose burden I would pray Thee lift."
I was so dead I wondered at no thing,-- Not even that the angels slowly turned Their faces, speechless, as I hurried by (Beneath my feet the golden pavements burned);
Nor, at the first, that I could not find God, Because the heavens stretched endlessly like space. At last a terror siezed my very soul; I seemed alone in all the crowded place.
Then, sudden, one compassionate cried out, Though like the rest his face from me he turned, As I were one no angel might regard (Beneath my feet the golden pavements burned):
"No moew in heaven than earth will he find God Who does not know his loving mercy swift But waits the moment consummate and ripe, Each burden, from each human soul to lift."
Though I was dead, I died again for shame; Lonely, to flee from heaven again I turned; The ranks of angels looked away from me (Beneath my feet the golden pavements burned).