Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE ASCENT OF SNOWDON by CHARLES TENNYSON TURNER

First Line: HOW MERRILY THEY PLIED THE ALPINE STAFF
Last Line: AND CAUGHT AND KISS'D THE WANDERING THISTLE-SEEDS.
Subject(s): MOUNTAIN CLIMBING; SNOWDON (MOUNTAIN), WALES;

How merrily they plied the Alpine staff
In climbing from the lowland farms and barns!
Upward and onward still, intent to quaff
The topmost airs, beyond the dark-blue tarns,
And silver mists and echoes! how the gales
Of Snowdon brac'd the heart our Willie lost
Among the wild sweet faces of the vales!
How his cheek glow'd, and how his hair was tost!
While one poor wight, too weak for that steep track,
Sat with the boulders, and the shining threads
Of mountain-spiders, till his friends came back;
And watch'd their light among the breezy ferns,
Their shy escapes and beautiful returns,
And caught and kiss'd the wandering thistle-seeds.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net