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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE ANGEL IN THE HOUSE: BOOK 1. CANTO 8. PRELUDE: THE SPIRIT'S EPOCHS by COVENTRY KERSEY DIGHTON PATMORE

Poet Analysis

First Line: NOT IN THE CRISES OF EVENTS
Last Line: WE SAW THE WATER-FLAGS IN FLOWER!

Not in the crises of events,
Of compassed hopes, or fears fulfilled,
Or acts of gravest consequence,
Are life's delight and depth revealed.
The day of days was not the day;
That went before, or was postponed;
The night Death took our lamp away
Was not the night on which we groaned.
I drew my bride, beneath the moon,
Across my threshold; happy hour!
But, ah, the walk that afternoon
We saw the water-flags in flower!



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