Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE VOYAGE TO VINLAND: 1. BIORN'S BECKONERS, by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Now biorn, the sun of heriulf, had ill days Last Line: "ourselves a dream, and dreamlike all we did." Subject(s): America - Exploration; Vinland | ||||||||
Now Biorn, the sun of Heriulf, had ill days Because the heart within him seethed with blood That would not be allayed with any toil, Whether of war or hunting or the oar, But was anhungered for some joy untried: For the brain grew not weary with the limbs, But, while they slept, still hammered like a Troll, Building all night a bridge of solid dream Between him and some purpose of his soul, Or will to find a purpose. With the dawn The sleep-laid timbers, crumbled to soft mist, Denied all foothold. But the dream remained, And every night with yellow-bearded kings His sleep was haunted, -- mighty men of old, Once young as he, now ancient like the gods, And safe as stars in all men's memories. Strange sagas read he in their sea-blue eyes Cold as the sea, grandly compassionless; Like life, they made him eager and then mocked. Nay, broad awake, they would not let him be; They shaped themselves gigantic in the mist, They rose far-beckoning in the lamps of heaven, They whispered invitation in the winds, And breath came from them, mightier than the wind, To strain the lagging sails of his resolve, Till that grew passion which before was wish, And youth seemed all too costly to be staked On the soiled cards wherewith men played their game, Letting Time pocket up the larger life, Lost with base gain of raiment, food, and roof. "What helpeth lightness of the feet?" they said, "Oblivion runs with swifter foot than they; Or strength of sinew? New men come as strong, And those sleep nameless; or renown in war? Swords grave no name on the long-memoried rock But moss shall hide it; they alone who wring Some secret purpose from the unwilling gods Survive in song for yet a little while To vex, like us, the dreams of later men, Ourselves a dream, and dreamlike all we did." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE VOYAGE TO VINLAND: 3. GUDRIDA'S PROPHECY by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL THE VOYAGE TO VINLAND: 2. THORWALD'S LAY by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL AFTER THE BURIAL by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL AN INTERVIEW WITH MILES STANDISH by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL AUF WIEDERSEHEN! SUMMER by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL AUSPEX by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL BEAVER BROOK by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL COMMEMORATION ODE READ AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL |
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