Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE PREGNANT COMMENT, by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Opening one day a book of mine Last Line: Her precious comment, poet deep. Subject(s): Poetry & Poets | ||||||||
OPENING one day a book of mine, I absent, Hester found a line Praised with a pencil-mark, and this She left transfigured with a kiss. When next upon the page I chance, Like Poussin's nymphs my pulses dance, And whirl my fancy where it sees Pan piping 'neath Arcadian trees, Whose leaves no winter-scenes rehearse, Still young and glad as Homer's verse. "What mean," I ask, "these sudden joys? This feeling fresher than a boy's? What makes this line, familiar long, New as the first bird's April song? I could, with sense illumined thus, Clear doubtful texts in Æschylus!" Laughing, one day she gave the key, My riddle's open-sesame; Then added, with a smile demure, Whose downcast lids veiled triumph sure, "If what I left there give you pain, You you can take it off again; 'T was for my poet, not for him, Your Doctor Donne there!" Earth grew dim And wavered in a golden mist, As rose, not paper, leaves I kissed. Donne, you forgive? I let you keep Her precious comment, poet deep. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ENVY OF OTHER PEOPLE'S POEMS by ROBERT HASS THE NINETEENTH CENTURY AS A SONG by ROBERT HASS THE FATALIST: TIME IS FILLED by LYN HEJINIAN OXOTA: A SHORT RUSSIAN NOVEL: CHAPTER 192 by LYN HEJINIAN LET ME TELL YOU WHAT A POEM BRINGS by JUAN FELIPE HERRERA JUNE JOURNALS 6/25/88 by JUAN FELIPE HERRERA FOLLOW ROZEWICZ by JUAN FELIPE HERRERA HAVING INTENDED TO MERELY PICK ON AN OIL COMPANY, THE POEM GOES AWRY by HICOK. BOB AFTER THE BURIAL by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL |
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