THE rainbow on the ocean A moment bright, The nightingale's devotion That dies on night, Eve's rosy star a-tremble Its hour of light, -- All things that love resemble Too soon take flight. The violets we cherish Died in the spring; Roses and lilies perish In what they bring; And joy and beauty wholly With life depart; But love leaves slow, how slowly! Life's empty heart. O, strange to me, and wondrous, The storm passed by, With sound of voices thund'rous Swept from the sky; But stranger, love, thy fashion, -- O, tell me why Art thou, dark storm of passion, So slow to die? As roll the billowy ridges When the great gale has blown o'er; As the long winter-dirges From frozen branches pour; As the whole sea's harsh December Pounds on the pine-hung shore; So will love's deep remember, So will deep love deplore. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...JOURNEY TO A KNOWN PLACE by HAYDEN CARRUTH THE WIZARD IN WORDS by MARIANNE MOORE HEMLOCK AND CEDAR by CARL SANDBURG ON THE RECEIPT OF MY MOTHER'S PICTURE [OUT OF NORFOLK] by WILLIAM COWPER CHRISMUS IS A-COMIN' by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR FORMERLY A SLAVE' (AN IDEALIZED PORTRAIT, BY E. VEDDER) by HERMAN MELVILLE |