We live, while we see the sun, <br />Where life and dreams are as one; <br />And living has taught me this, <br />Man dreams the life that is his, <br />Until his living is done. <br />The king dreams he is king, and he lives <br />In the deceit of a king, <br />Commanding and governing; <br />And all the praise he receives <br />Is written in wind, and leaves <br />A little dust on the way <br />When death ends all with a breath. <br />Where then is the gain of a throne, <br />That shall perish and not be known <br />In the other dream that is death? <br />Dreams the rich man of riches and fears, <br />The fears that his riches breed; <br />The poor man dreams of his need, <br />And all his sorrows and tears; <br />Dreams he that prospers with years, <br />Dreams he that feigns and foregoes, <br />Dreams he that rails on his foes; <br />And in all the world, I see, <br />Man dreams whatever he be, <br />And his own dream no man knows. <br />And I too dream and behold, <br />I dream I am bound with chains, <br />And I dreamed that these present pains <br />Were fortunate ways of old. <br />What is life? a tale that is told; <br />What is life? a frenzy extreme, <br />A shadow of things that seem; <br />And the greatest good is but small, <br />That all life is a dream to all, <br />And that dreams themselves are a dream.<br /><br />Pedro Calderon de la Barca<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/life-is-a-dream-5/