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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THEY HAIL THE SUNRISE by JOHN CROWE RANSOM

Poet Analysis

First Line: THEY SWORE THEY FOUND THE DARK EXCEEDING BITTER
Last Line: STRONG AS THE SUN, AND GIRDED UP, AND DEATHLESS.

They swore they found the dark exceeding bitter:
Death's arm and captain, whose obscene commands
Sent beauty marching, save for some stars' glitter:
They were afraid, and took each other's hands.

But hands hold much of heat in little storage;
And eyes are flickerless torches good as day;
The flame of each to the other's flame cried courage;
Soon heart to heart they sighed their grief away.

The sun of a sudden glowing through the brushes,
They woke and laughed, their eyes again were blue,
They ran to the fields, and apprehending thrushes,
Spoke not a word, but travelled in the dew.
Travelled or tarried, breathing deep or breathless,
Strong as the sun, and girded up, and deathless.



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