AH me, how hot and weary here in town The days crawl by! How otherwise they go my heart records, Where the marsh meadows lie And white sheep crop the grass, and seagulls sail Between the lovely earth and lovely sky. Here the sun grins along the dusty street Beneath pale skies: Hark! spiritless, sad tramp of toiling feet, Hoarse hawkers, curses, cries -- Through these I hear the song that the sea sings To the far meadowlands of Paradise. O golden-lichened church and red-roofed barn -- O long sweet days -- O changing, unchanged skies, straight dykes all gay With sedge and water mace -- O fair marsh land desirable and dear -- How far from you lie my life's weary ways! Yet in my darkest night there shines a star More fair than day; There is a flower that blossoms sweet and white In the sad city way. That flower blooms not where the wide marshes gleam, That star shines only when the skies are gray. For here fair peace and passionate pleasure wane Before the light Of radiant dreams that make our lives worth life, And turn to noon our night: We fight for freedom and the souls of men -- Here, and not there, is fought and won our fight! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...BRIGHTNESS AS A POIGNANT LIGHT by DAVID IGNATOW TO EMILIE BIGELOW HAPGOOD - PHILANTHROPIST by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON THE QUARREL by KATHERINE MANSFIELD YOUNG LINCOLN by EDWIN MARKHAM CELSUS AT HADRIAN'S VILLA by EDGAR LEE MASTERS DOMESDAY BOOK: DR. TRACE TO THE CORONER by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |