The weary traveler, who, all night long, Has climbed among the Alps' tremendous steeps, Skirting the pathless precipice, where throng Wild forms of danger; as he onward creeps If, chance, his anxious eye at distance sees The mountain-shepherd's solitary home, Peeping from forth the moon-illumined trees, What sudden transports to his bosom come! But, if between some hideous chasm yawn, Where the cleft pine a doubtful bridge displays, In dreadful silence, on the brink, forlorn He stands, and views in the faint rays Far, far below, the torrent's rising surge, And listens to the wild impetuous roar; Still eyes the depth, still shudders on the verge, Fears to return, nor dares to venture o'er. Desperate, at length the tottering plank he tries, His weak steps slide, he shrieks, he sinks -- he dies! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...GOOD NIGHT by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR THE SCORPION by WILLIAM PLOMER ASTROPHEL AND STELLA: 47 by PHILIP SIDNEY CRADLE SONG (TO A TUNE OF BLAKE'S): 1 by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE SONG OF THE BANNER AT DAY-BREAK by WALT WHITMAN LINES COMPOSED A FEW MILES ABOVE TINTERN ABBEY by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH HOPE AND DESPAIR by LASCELLES ABERCROMBIE TO -- OCCASIONED BY HIS POEM ON THE SUN by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD ADDRESS TO SUBSCRIBERS .. FUND FOR CLOTHING CHILDREN CHARITY SCHOOL by BERNARD BARTON |