Dreams are often presented as flashes or images which fit together to create a narrative. The form of this poem follows the dream process by shedding a light on new thoughts that may have been deeply embedded in the persona’s identity. The short lines, tight form, and deserted language create a dreamlike readability to the poem.
Dehumanized Setting
The persona’s “dreambook” has a recurring entry that takes place in a lurid setting: “evening / in an occupied country” (2-3). The reader is immediately taken back in time to Europe during World War II. Charles Simic comes from “Belgrade, Yugoslavia where he had a traumatic childhood during World War II” (http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/27) and for this analysis it is assumed that the persona is Simic himself with his “Empire of Dreams” harkening back to his childhood. Fear infiltrates the reader’s mind as one begins to predict the possible happenings that could occur an “Hour before the curfew” (4). One hour before all Jews were rounded up like vermin. Within the context of the dream (and history) Jews lost their humanity, their freedom, and their right to choose life. Instead of human beings they dehumanized erroneously becoming vacant symbols, the Star of David.
Emptiness
The final half of the first stanza closes with more details of the setting that add to the emptiness and forlorn voice of the persona. The persona refers to the town as “A small provincial city” (5), and within the unsophisticated city there is no one to be found. The residences are “all dark” (6) and even the merchants have vanished because “the storefronts [have been] gutted” (6).
Independent Images
The speaker uses the terse lines to help emphasize the emptiness and loneliness that is all around the city and itself. There are no wasted words to provide solace for the reader because the reader needs to understand the essence of the dream which appears more and more like a nightmare. The poem is presented in short lines that work independently as images of the dream scenario. The effect of these lines seems to be the creation of a dark, lonesome mood without the comfort of commas and verbosity.
Wrong Place, Wrong Time
Stanza 2 begins with the voice inserting itself into the setting, a stark contrast from the first stanza where the voice introduces the poetic vehicle: “my dreambook” (1). Once again there is neither comfort for the voice nor the reader because it is “on a street corner” (8) where it “shouldn’t be” (9). The fact that the voice is unwelcome is a further clue to the reader that it may be Simic himself and if not Simic then certainly a Jew. The voice remains “Alone and coatless” (10) looking for a “black dog” (12).
Uncompromising Character
A Jew outside just before curfew in an occupied country during World War II is the encapsulation of dread. Fear has been a recurring motif in the poem, but the only time it is mentioned outwardly by the voice is when the voice states that it has “a kind of Halloween mask / which I am afraid to put on” (13-14). Despite being in a scenario that has caused nightmares for millions of human beings the voice is really only scared to hide its true identity. Fear is conquered by the essence of a resilient human spirit: uncompromising character. The voice refuses to “wear the mask” (Line 15 Dunbar, www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15888).
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