The House of Dust: A Symphony

"The House of Dust: A Symphony" by Conrad Aiken is a poem that paints a picture of life's fleeting moments and the ever-present themes of death. Composed in three movements and probably written in the early 1900s, it uses rich language and symbolism to explore the difficult parts of being human, all set against a detailed city. Readers are asked to think about humanity’s hopes, dreams, and the sometimes sad fictions that define what we believe is real. The poem begins with a dark but pretty scene, showing the shift from day to night. A dreamer walks through the city, watching how shadows and light interact as people move through the rain. This creates a feeling of shared life, with love, loss, and time all playing a part. People are shown through what they hope for and how they see themselves, forming an emotional story that pulls the reader in, and the changing city reminds us that nothing, neither life nor dreams, lasts forever.