* Metaphor: Poe uses metaphors to convey the fleeting nature of dreams and the uncertainty of life.
* "The sands of time" is a metaphor for the passage of time, emphasizing its swift and unstoppable movement.
* "The waves of memory" symbolize the constant flow of thoughts and emotions, always changing and shifting.
* Personification: The poem gives human characteristics to inanimate objects, further emphasizing the dreamlike atmosphere.
* "The sands of time" are personified as having a "voice" and "whispering," making time seem alive and sentient.
* "The waves of memory" are personified as "breaking" and "dissolving," further highlighting their impermanence.
* Imagery: Poe employs vivid imagery to create a dreamlike, almost hallucinatory atmosphere.
* "The sands of time" and "the waves of memory" create vivid visual images that evoke the passage of time and the flow of thought.
* "The whispering of the wind" creates aural imagery, further enhancing the sense of ethereal unreality.
* Symbolism: The poem is filled with symbolism, adding layers of meaning to the dreamlike experience.
* Sand: Represents the fleeting nature of life, easily lost like grains of sand.
* Waves: Symbolism of the constant flux of memories, thoughts, and the ever-changing nature of existence.
* Dream: Represents the fragility of human perception and the elusive nature of reality.
* Repetition: The repeated phrases "a dream within a dream" and "all that we see or seem" underscore the theme of uncertainty and the question of what is real.
Overall Effect: These figurative language elements work together to create a dreamlike, haunting, and unsettling atmosphere. The poem explores the anxieties and uncertainties of human existence, leaving the reader to ponder the nature of reality and the fleeting nature of human experience.