Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE DNIEPER, by ? JAROSLATEZ


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE DNIEPER, by                    
First Line: When the tired sun turneth sleeper
Last Line: On other heads than mine!
Subject(s): Dnieper River, Russia; Russia; Dnept River, Russia; Soviet Union; Russians


WHEN the tired sun turneth sleeper,
But ere the moon hath yet awoken,
I love, O, how I love, to roam
By the grand resounding Dnieper,
Where'er its billows may have broken
Into the hoarest foam.

As on Jordan's banks the leper
Oft left of old his ghastly ailment,
So I, on thy tempestuous shore,
O thou grand resounding Dnieper,
Feel nightly as though no assailment
Of woe could wound me more!

Up those cliffs which ever steeper
Through twilight loom I often clamber,
To see thy black waves rush and roll,
O mine own, my glorious Dnieper,
And feel the sunset's gold and amber
Deep-dye my thoughts and soul!

Scale these heights, thou poor weak weeper,
Thou who, alas! art wont to diet
Upon thy bitter heart for food,
And gaze down upon the Dnieper!
The sight will change to dreamy quiet
Thy dark and troubled mood!

Come, too, thou who seekest deeper
Emotions from the scenery round thee;
And, though thy wanderings rivalled Cain's,
Thou shalt feel, anigh the Dnieper,
As though some spell-word had unbound thee
From Time's ten thousand chains!

Thou hast more than wert thou reaper
Of all the gems and golden treasure
Sown and long-buried in the deeps
Even of this vast cryptful Dnieper.
Wealth for thy soul beyond all measure
Its boiling surface keeps!

Richer joys there be -- yet cheaper --
Than those which slay in palaced city.
Take all thou wilt, great world, for thine, --
Give me freedom and the Dnieper,
And Pride may wreak its wrath or pity
On other heads than mine!





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