Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


LONELY FLOWERS by JOHN TODHUNTER

First Line: LONELY IN THE LIGHT OF MORNING

1
LONELY in the light of morning,
Lonely in the light of morning ,
In the Forest's gladed stillness,
In the Forest's gladed stillness,
Exiled from the flowery meadows,
Exiled from the flowery meadows,
Trembling stand three delicate hairbells.
Trembling stand three delicate hairbells.




Pale, forsaken of your kindred.
2
Wherefore, like estrays of azure
Pale, forsaken of your kindred,
Lured by forest-pools from heaven,
Wherefore, like estrays of azure
Lurk ye here, ye tremulous hairbells?
Lured by forest-pools from heaven,

Lurk ye here, ye tremulous hairbells?


In the footsteps of the morning.

Lonely wandering in the wildwood,
3
I alone have seen the vision
In the footsteps of the morning,
Of your solitary beauty;
Lonely wandering in the wildwood,

I alone have seen the vision

Of your solitary beauty;
And I know not why ye haunt me

Like familiar things, j'et strangely,

With dim, ghostlike sense of strangeness,
4
Mystify this shadowy woodland.
And I know not why ye haunt me

Like familiar things, yet strangely,

With dim, ghostlike sense of strangeness,
In the footsteps of the morning.
Mystify this shadowy woodland.
Through forgotten fields of dreamland

Wandering, have my lonely footsteps

Stirred, long since, this virgin stillness?
5

In the footsteps of the morning,

Through forgotten fields of dreamland
Do these dew-dimmed branches know me?
Wandering, have my lonely footsteps
Or these crags and shadowy places?
Stirred, long since, this virgin stillness?
What embalmed enchantment breathe I,

That enraptures and affrights me?


6

Do these dew-dimmed branches know me?
Witchlike, sphynxlike, dumb for ever,
Or these crags and shadowy places?
Hang their heads, those desolate harebells;
What embalmed enchantment breathe I,
Some mysterious past concealing,
That enraptures and affrights me?
Some mysterious fate foreboding.




7
Witchlike, sphynxlike, dumb for ever,
Hang their heads, those desolate hairbells;
Some mysterious past concealing,
Some mysterious fate foreboding.




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