# XV: From Dewy Dreams, My Soul, Arise explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by James Joyce.

## What happens

The speaker calls for the soul to awaken from dreams of love and death, as morning dawns and nature stirs with life and fairy music.

## Themes in this chapter

### Nature and Mood

The poem vividly describes the dawn, trees, leaves, and gossamer veils, creating a mood of gentle awakening.

### Transience and Loss

The call to arise from love's slumber and death hints at the fleeting nature of dreams and life.

### Art and Creativity

The mention of 'wise choirs of faery' and their music evokes a creative, mythical realm.

## Character check-ins

### Narrator

The speaker who urges the soul to arise from dewy dreams.

### Love

Referenced as part of the deep slumber from which the soul must awaken.

### Death

Mentioned alongside love as a state of slumber.

## Key lines

> From dewy dreams, my soul, arise, From love’s deep slumber and from death

Awaken, my soul, from the moist dreams of love and the sleep of death.

_The speaker commands the soul to leave behind the states of love and death._

> For lo! the trees are full of sighs Whose leaves the morn admonisheth.

Look! The trees are sighing, and their leaves are being warned by the morning.

_Nature is personified as the morning scolds the leaves._

> While sweetly, gently, secretly, The flowery bells of morn are stirred And the wise choirs of faery Begin (innumerous!) to be heard.

Softly and secretly, the flower-like bells of morning are shaken, and the countless wise fairy choirs start to be heard.

_The dawn brings a subtle, magical music from nature and fairies._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_11_se/chapters/xv-from-dewy-dreams-my-soul-arise
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_11_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_11_se/chapters