Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 3. S. JAMES PARK, by EDWARD CARPENTER Poet's Biography First Line: An island ringed with surf Last Line: Of human life forever on this shore. Subject(s): St. James Park, London | ||||||||
AN island ringed with surf A cool green shade and tiny enchanted spot of trees and flowers and fountains The ocean raging round it. The roar of London interminably stretching, interminably sounding, Great waves of human life breaking, millions of drops together, torrents of vehicles pouring, business men marching, gangs of workmen, soldiers, loafers, street hawkers; Shopkeepers running out of their shops to look at their own windows, a woman seized with birth-pangs on a doorstep, ragamuffins and children swirling by, eddies and rapid of fashion. The everlasting tide, ebbing a little at night, rising again in the daywith fierce continuous roaring Yet infringing not on the little island. Here only a little spray, a dull and distant reverberation; In the soft shade a pleasant drowsy air, the willows hanging their branches to the water; The drake preening his feathers in the sun, or swimming among the flags by the pond side, regardless of Nelson peering over the tree-tops from his column, taking no note of the great clock-face of Westminster. Only a little spray, broken water. Drop by drop, one by one, or here and there in twos, Specimens, items out of the deep. The baker's man, working 15 hours a day, leaves his handcart in a convenient spot outside and puts in a quiet quarter of an hour here with a novel; The old womanher thumb gathered and disabled by incessant work on crapenow as a matter of course thrown out of employgoes along moaning and muttering to herself; The pursy old gentleman who has made his money out of the mourning warehouse also goes along; The footman on an errand walks leisurely by, the French nurse plays with the little English children; The rather elegant young lady meets her man by appointment at one of the garden seats; they study Bradshaw together in an undertone, revolving plans; The middle-aged widower comes alongthin, so thin, dressed all in black, seeing nothing, hearing nothingsitting down for a moment, then up againresting only in constant movement; The tramp, with dead expressionless facethe man who is not wanted, to whom every one says Nocomes along, and throws himself listlessly down under the trees. Only a little spray, broken water. The summer sun falls peaceful on the grass, The tide of traffic rises a little during the day and ebbs again at night, But the great roaring bates notbreaks the surf Of human life forever on this shore. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...WELSHMAN AT ST. JAMES' PARK by RONALD STUART THOMAS RAMBLE IN ST. JAMES'S PARK by JOHN WILMOT AS A MOULD FOR SOME FAIR FORM by EDWARD CARPENTER THE STUPID OLD BODY by EDWARD CARPENTER TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: AFTER LONG AGES by EDWARD CARPENTER TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 1 by EDWARD CARPENTER TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 2. A MILITARY BAND by EDWARD CARPENTER TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 2. AMONG THE FERNS by EDWARD CARPENTER TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 2. AS A WOMAN OF A MAN by EDWARD CARPENTER TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 2. AS ONE WHO FROM A HIGH CLIFF by EDWARD CARPENTER TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 2. AS TO YOU O MOON by EDWARD CARPENTER |
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