Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE DOVES, by WILLIAM COWPER Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Reasoning at every step he treads Last Line: A lesson for mankind. Subject(s): Doves; Love | ||||||||
REASONING at every step he treads, Man yet mistakes his way, While meaner things, whom instinct leads, Are rarely known to stray. One silent eve i wandered late, And heard the voice of love; The turtle thus addressed her mate, And soothed the listening dove: "Our mutual bond of faith and truth No time shall disengage, Those blessings of our early youth Shall cheer our latest age; "While innocence without disguise, And constancy sincere, Shall fill the circles of those eyes, And mine can read them there; "Those ills, that wait on all below, Shall ne'er be felt by me, Or gently felt, and only so, As being shared with thee. "When lightnings flash among the trees, Or kites are hovering near, I fear lest thee alone they seize, And know no other fear. "'Tis then I feel myself a wife, And press thy wedded side, Resolved a union formed for life Death never shall divide. "But oh! if, fickle and unchaste, (Forgive a transient thought,) Thou couldst become unkind at last, And scorn thy present lot, "No need of lightnings from on high, Or kites with cruel beak; Denied the endearments of thine eye, This widowed heart would break." Thus sang the sweet sequestered bird, Soft as the passing wind, And I recorded what I heard, A lesson for mankind. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE INVENTION OF LOVE by MATTHEA HARVEY TWO VIEWS OF BUSON by ROBERT HASS A LOVE FOR FOUR VOICES: HOMAGE TO FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN by ANTHONY HECHT AN OFFERING FOR PATRICIA by ANTHONY HECHT LATE AFTERNOON: THE ONSLAUGHT OF LOVE by ANTHONY HECHT A SWEETENING ALL AROUND ME AS IT FALLS by JANE HIRSHFIELD A COMPARISON by WILLIAM COWPER |
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