Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE EVENING PRIMROSE, by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH Poem Explanation Poet's Biography First Line: What are you looking at?' the farmer said Last Line: The life that ever shall be or hath been | ||||||||
"What are you looking at?" the farmer said; "That's nothing but a yellow flowering weed." We turned, and saw our neighbor's grizzled head Above the fence, but took of him no heed. There stood the simple man, and wondered much At us, who wondered at the twilight flowers Bursting to life, as if a spirit's touch Awoke their slumbering souls to answer ours. "It grows all o'er the island, wild," said he; "There are plenty in my field: I root 'em out. But, for my life, it puzzles me to see What you make such a wonderment about." The good man turned and to his supper went; While, kneeling on the grass with mute delight Or whispered words, around the plant we bent, To watch the opening buds that love the night. Slowly the rosy dusk of eve departed, And one by one the pale stars bloomed on high; And one by one each folded calyx started, And bared its golden petals to the sky. One throb from star to flower seemed pulsing through The night, -- one living spirit blending all In beauty and in mystery ever new, -- One harmony divine through great and small. E'en our plain neighbor, as he sips his tea, I doubt not, through his window feels the sky Of evening bring a sweet and tender plea That links him even to dreamers such as I. So through the symbol-alphabet that glows Through all creation, higher still and higher The spirit builds its faith, and ever grows Beyond the rude form of its first desire. O boundless Beauty and Beneficence! O deathless Soul that breathest in the weeds And in a starlit sky! -- e'en through the rents Of accident thou serv'st all human needs; Nor stoopest idly to our petty cares; Nor knowest great or small, since folded in By universal Love, all being shares The life that ever shall be or hath been | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BOBOLINKS by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH THE PINES AND THE SEA by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH A CHILD-SAVIOUR (A TRUE STORY) by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH A NIGHT-PICTURE by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH A POET'S SOLILOQUY by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH A QUESTION by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH A WORD TO PHILOSOPHERS by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH AFTER THE CENTENNIAL (A HOPE) by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH AFTER-LIFE by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH AN OLD CAT'S CONFESSIONS by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH |
|