A TRANSIENT city, marvellously fair, Humane, harmonious, yet nobly free, She built for pure delight and memory. At her command, by lake and garden rare, Pylon and tower majestic rose in air, And sculptured forms of grace and symmetry. Then came a thought of God, and, reverently, -- "Let there be Light!" she said; and Light was there. O miracle of splendor! Who could know That Crime, insensate, egoist and blind, Destructive, causeless, caring but to smite, Would in its dull Cimmerian gropings find A sudden way to fill those courts with woe, And swallow up that radiance in night? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SPEAKING TERMS by JAMES GALVIN SPRING SONG by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR LAY OF THE TRILOBITE by MAY EMMA GOLDWORTH KENDALL EPIGRAMS: BOOK I, 1 by MARCUS VALERIUS MARTIALIS THE DEATH OF AUTUMN by EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY LINES WRITTEN ON HEARING THE NEWS OF THE DEATH OF NAPOLEON by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY IN A GARDEN by PAULINE B. BARRINGTON |