Classic and Contemporary Poetry
EFFINGHAM NIGHT, by JAMES MONAHAN Poet's Biography First Line: The moon has put her garment of white madness Last Line: As hands, grown vague, drop listless to my side. Subject(s): Moon; Night; Silence; Bedtime | ||||||||
THE moon has put her garment of white madness upon this night, upon this shining common that a leaning mist has slurred. Far nightingales are ceaseless. Trees are a sinister net, hiding attainable skies; and crickets near suddenly sing against the nightingales ... while all their sound is deep in the quietness, in the quietness turning. And I am filled with it, made great with its grandeur, omnisciently clear. I tower to the stature of the night, steadily watching the moon-steel pillars rise to the velvet ceiling of this cathedraled world. Comes the seed of rage, swells, bursts my furious fist is stark and black and high against the moon; and "Heart," I shout, "of this great stillness, know I have touched the summits of your mystery. I have seen you all." The inevitable drooping, the failure and folly come. The moment passes as hands, grown vague, drop listless to my side. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BREATH OF NIGHT by RANDALL JARRELL HOODED NIGHT by ROBINSON JEFFERS NIGHT WITHOUT SLEEP by ROBINSON JEFFERS WORKING OUTSIDE AT NIGHT by DENIS JOHNSON POEM TO TAKE BACK THE NIGHT by JUNE JORDAN COOL DARK ODE by DONALD JUSTICE POEM TO BE READ AT 3 A.M by DONALD JUSTICE ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT by BOB KAUFMAN ALBERTINE ASKS FOR A POEM by JAMES MONAHAN FAR FROM THE LAND by JAMES MONAHAN GHOSTS (THREE YEARS AFTER THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN) by JAMES MONAHAN |
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