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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

NEW YEAR'S CHIMES by FRANCIS THOMPSON

Poet Analysis

First Line: WHAT IS THE SONG THE STARS SING?
Last Line: (RUNG ALL IN RHYME.)
Subject(s): BELLS; HOLIDAYS; NEW YEAR;
WHAT is the song the stars sing?
(@3And a million songs are as song of one@1.)
This is the song the stars sing:
(@3Sweeter song's none@1)

One to set, and many to sing,
(@3And a million songs are as song of one@1)
One to stand, and many to cling,
The many things, and the one Thing,
The one that runs not, the many that run.

The ever new weaveth the ever old,
(@3And a million songs are as song of one@1)
Ever telling the never told;
The silver saith, and the said is gold,
And done ever the never done.

The Chase that's chased is the Lord o' the chase,
(@3And a million songs are as song of one@1)
And the Pursued cries on the race;
And the hounds in leash are the hounds that run.

Hidden stars by the shown stars' sheen;
(@3And a million suns are but as one@1)
Colours unseen by the colours seen,
And sounds unheard heard sounds between,
And a night is in the light of the sun.

An ambuscade of light in night,
(@3And a million secrets are but as one@1)
And a night is dark in the sun's light,
And a world in the world man looks upon.

Hidden stars by the shown stars' wings,
(@3And a million cycles are but as one@1)
And a world with unapparent strings
Knits the simulant world of things;
Behold, and vision thereof is none.

The world above in the world below,
(@3And a million worlds are but as one@1)
And the One in all; as the sun's strength so
Strives in all strength, glows in all glow
Of the earth that wits not, and man thereon.

Braced in its own fourfold embrace
(@3And a million strengths are as strength of one@1)
And round it all God's arms of grace,
The world, so as the Vision says,
Doth with great lightning-tramples run.

And thunder bruiteth into thunder,
(@3And a million sounds are as sound of one@1)
From stellate peak to peak is tossed a voice of wonder,
And the height stoops down to the depths thereunder,
And sun leans forth to his brother-sun.

And the more ample years unfold
(@3With a million songs as song of one@1)
A little new of the ever old,
A little told of the never told,
Added act of the never done.

Loud the descant, and low the theme,
(@3A million songs are as song of one@1)
And the dream of the world is dream in dream,
But the one Is is, or nought could seem;
And the song runs round to the song begun.

This is the song the stars sing,
(@3Toned all in time@1)
Tintinnabulous, tuned to ring
A multitudinous-single thing
(@3Rung all in rhyme.@1)



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