Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE FIRESIDE CHAIRS; HUSBAND TO WIFE, by WILLIAM BARNES Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: The daylight gains upon the night Last Line: And look'd on, as I look'd on you. Subject(s): Marriage; Weddings; Husbands; Wives | ||||||||
THE daylight gains upon the night, And birds are out in later flight: 'Tis cold enough to spread our hands, Once now and then, to glowing brands. So now we two are here alone To make a quiet hour our own, We'll take, with face to face, once more Our places on the warm hearth floor, Where you shall have the window view Outside, and I can look on you. When first I brought you home, my bride, In yellow glow of summer tide, I wanted you to take a chair On that side of the fire -- out there -- And have the ground and sky in sight, With face against the window light; While I, back here, should have my brow In shade, and sit where I am now; That you might see the land outside, And I might look on you, my bride. And there the gliding waters spread, By waving elm-trees over head, Below the hill that slopes above The path, along the high-treed grove, Where sighing winds once whisper'd down Our whisper'd words; and there's the crown Of Duncliffe hill, where widening shades Of timber fall on sloping glades: So you enjoy the green and blue Without, and I will look on you. And there we pull'd, within the copse, With nutting-crooks the hazel tops, That now arise, unleaved and black, Too thin to keep the wind-blast back; And there's the church, and spreading lime, Where we did meet at evening time, In clusters, on the beaten green, In glee to see and to be seen; All old sights, welcomer than new, And look'd on, as I look'd on you. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A BLESSING FOR A WEDDING by JANE HIRSHFIELD A SUITE FOR MARRIAGE by DAVID IGNATOW ADVICE TO HER SON ON MARRIAGE by MARY BARBER THE RABBI'S SON-IN-LAW by SABINE BARING-GOULD KISSING AGAIN by DORIANNE LAUX A TIME PAST by DENISE LEVERTOV A WINTER NIGHT by WILLIAM BARNES |
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