HERE lies an old, worn highway winding far Into the dwindling distances. Along its trail On one hand, climbing quickly toward the west, The stone-walled meads of old New England rise To heights of great advantage, there to watch The crimson ceremonials of the sun, Which takes its liveried farewell of the day In mighty maze of color. ... This old road Runs close beside the sea, yet ere the land Plunges into the tide, there is a stretch Of wondrous russet lawn which parallels And ever keeps apace the beaten trail, As though it fain had tried In many a sweet, forgotten morn of spring To throw its early emerald coverlet Over the ashen aspect of the dust And hide its hues forever. ... Just beyond This sweep of sunburnt turf the open sea, With beach line quite as winding as the road, Heaves heavy crest of pearl. While here and there At undeliberate, luckless intervals Along this peaceful parking by the sea, A row of giant trees, their branches bare From too much wild embracing with the wind, Stand stark in loneliness. To eastward lies The white-whipped, tossing leagues of lambent foam; And far out in the purple mists a sail Shudders against a sky-line undefined. Above, Piercing the crisp December air Two wild birds wing their unmolested way Unto a homing haven.... I came down A while ago from these unharassed hills And stood me for a time beside the road Gazing upon the sea.... I went away And took with me the freedom and the joy, The loneliness, the majesty, and all The vigor and the rapture of that scene Defying sense to fathom. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BALLAD OF THE DARK LADIE; A FRAGMENT by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE THE SAD SONG, FR. THE CAPTAIN by JOHN FLETCHER ECHOES: 9 by WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY THE TRAGICAL HISTORY OF THE LIFE AND DEATH OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS by CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE INDIFFERENCE by EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY IMMORTALITY by GEORGE WILLIAM RUSSELL AVE ATQUE VALE; IN MEMORY OF CHARLES BAUDELAIRE by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE |