We dream it is good we are dreaming — Puppets

We dream－it is good we are dreaming－¹
It would hurt us－were we awake－
But since it is playing－kill us,
And we are playing－shriek－

What harm? Men die－externally－⁵
It is a truth－of Blood－
But we－are dying in Drama－
And Drama－is never dead－

Cautious－We jar each other－⁹
And either－open the eyes－
Lest the Phantasm－prove the Mistake－
And the livid Surprise

Cool us to Shafts of Granite－¹³
With just an Age－and Name－
And perhaps a phrase in Egyptian－
It's prudenter－to dream－

(F.584/J.531)

[1] We:: puppets.
[2] hurt us, awake:: the puppets are in the grave to accompany the dead, an Egyptian custom.
[3] playing kill us:: puppets being killed in puppet shows.
[4] playing shriek:: performing the pain by shriek.
[5, 6] Men die externally, Blood:: a hint on something without life and blood
[7, 8] in Drama, never dead:: Drama is the key to solve this riddle.
[9, 10] jar each other:: puppets being put into grave.
[11, 12] Phantasm, livid Surprise:: the scene of the grave.
[13] Cool us, Shafts of Granite:: to make the puppets cold by putting them on shafts of a grayish rock coffin.
[14] Age and Name:: of the dead.
[15] Egyptian:: a hint on the Egyptian custom.
[16] prudenter to dream:: it's better for the puppets to dream forever in the grave.

Such is the legendary record of puppets. We must turn over the graphic pages of the "father of history" for the first authentic mention of their employment. The guests at an Egyptian feast, when they grew hilarious, were called back to sober propriety by the exhibition of a little skeleton, and the admonition to reflect upon the lesson it conveyed. The British Museum possesses many of these figures, as well as others that appear to be toys that have been buried with their loved little owners. ─ The Gentleman's Magazine (1852)