"O DAY! he cannot die When thou so fair art shining! O Sun, in such a glorious sky, So tranquilly declining; He cannot leave thee now, While fresh west winds are blowing, And all around his youthful brow Thy cheerful light is glowing! Edward, awake, awake -- The golden evening gleams Warm and bright on Arden's lake -- Arouse thee from thy dreams! Beside thee, on my knee, My dearest friend! I pray That thou, to cross the eternal sea, Wouldst yet one hour delay: I hear its billows roar -- I see them foaming high; But no glimpse of a further shore Has blest my straining eye. Believe not what they urge Of Eden isles beyond; Turn back, from that tempestuous surge, To thy own native land. It is not death, but pain That struggles in thy breast -- Nay, rally, Edward, rouse again; I cannot let thee rest!" One long look, that sore reproved me For the woe I could not bear -- One mute look of suffering moved me To repent my useless prayer: And, with sudden check, the heaving Of distraction passed away; Not a sign of further grieving Stirred my soul that awful day. Paled, at length, the sweet sun setting; Sunk to peace the twilight breeze: Summer dews fell softly, wetting Glen, and glade, and silent trees. Then his eyes began to weary, Weighed beneath a mortal sleep; And their orbs grew strangely dreary, Clouded, even as they would weep. But they wept not, but they changed not, Never moved, and never closed; Troubled still, and still they ranged not -- Wandered not, nor yet reposed! So I knew that he was dying -- Stooped, and raised his languid head; Felt no breath, and heard no sighing, So I knew that he was dead. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...INFERENTIAL by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON THE BOTTLES AND THE WINE by GEORGE SANTAYANA BOLDNESS IN LOVE by THOMAS CAREW FORBIDDEN FRUIT: 2 by EMILY DICKINSON FATHER WILLIAM [QUESTIONED], FR. ALICE IN WONDERLAND by CHARLES LUTWIDGE DODGSON UNDER THE OAK by DAVID HERBERT LAWRENCE |