Through all that year-scarred agony of height, Inblest of bough or bloom, to where expands His wandy circlet with his bladed bands Dividing every wind, or loud or light, To termless hymns of love and old despite, Yon tall palmetto in the twilight stands, Bare Dante of these purgatorial sands That glimmer marginal to the monstrous night. Comes him a Southwind from the scented vine, It breathes of Beatrice through all his blades, North, East or West, Guelph-wind or Ghibelline, 'Tis shredded into music down the shades; All sea-breaths, land-breaths, systol, diastol, Sway, minstrels of that grief-melodious Soul. 1880 | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE SEMANTICS OF FLOWERS ON MEMORIAL DAY by BOB HICOK WHISPERS OF IMMORTALITY by THOMAS STEARNS ELIOT MUSKETAQUID by RALPH WALDO EMERSON THE ROSE AND THORN by PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE THE SLAVE'S DREAM by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW THE PUMPKIN by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER |