listen
beloved
i dreamed
   it appeared to me that you thought to
   escape me and became a great
   lily atilt on
   insolent
   waters     but i was aware of
   fragrance and i came riding upon
   a horse of porphyry     into the
   waters i rode down the red
   horse shrieking from splintering
   foam caught you clutched you upon my
mouth.
listen
beloved
   i dreamed     in my dream you had
   desire to thwart me and became
   a little bird and hid
   in a tree of tall marble
   from a great way i distinguished
   singing and i came
   riding upon a scarlet sunset
   trampling the night    easily
   from the shocked impossible
   tower i caught
   you strained you
   broke you upon my blood
listen
   beloved i dreamed
   i thought you would have deceived
   me and became a star in the kingdom
   of heaven
   through day and space i saw you close
   your eyes    and i came riding
   upon a thousand crimson years arched with agony
   i reined them in tottering before
   the throne and as
   they shied away at the automaton moon from
   the transplendent hand of sombre god
   i picked you
as an apple is picked by the little peasants for their girls

e. e. cummings from Tulips and Chimneys

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Imagine that your lover is gently waking you in the middle of the night to tell you about his dream. Of course he's only just stepped out of the dream so he is somewhat startled, and trying to wake you, gently tapping you on the shoulder: Listen. Beloved. I dreamed. Then as he starts to describe it, he sees that you have nodded off to sleep again, so he tries to explain again, after squeezing your shoulder gently: Listen. Beloved. I dreamed and in my dream... Finally, after the particularly strange and gruesome depiction of his straining and breaking his lover like a bird, his voice takes on a nearly pleading sound, beseeching you to continue listening, reminding you that it was only a dream: Listen. Beloved, I dreamed.

Lis"ten (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Listened (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Listening.] [OE. listnen, listen, lustnen, lusten, AS. hlystan; akin to hlyst hearing, OS. hlust, Icel. hlusta to listen, hlust ear, AS. hlosnian to wait in suspense, OHG. hlos�xc7;n to listen, Gr. , and E. loud. &root;41. See Loud, and cf. List to listen.]

1.

To give close attention with the purpose of hearing; to give ear; to hearken; to attend.

When we have occasion to listen, and give a more particular attention to same sound, the tympanum is drawn to a more than ordinary tension. Holder.

2.

To give heed; to yield to advice; to follow admonition; to obey.

Listen to me, and by me be ruled. Tennyson.

To listen after, to take an interest in. [Obs.]

Soldiers note forts, armories, and magazines; scholars listen after libraries, disputations, and professors. Fuller.

Syn. -- To attend; hearken. See Attend.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Lis"ten, v. t.

To attend to.

[Obs.]

Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.