Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PERSONALITY; SESTINA, by MARY K. ROBINSON


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PERSONALITY; SESTINA, by                    
First Line: As one who goes between high garden walls
Last Line: Wait till the day break, watch for me in front!
Subject(s): Perseverance


As one who goes between high garden walls,
Along a road that never has an end,
With still the empty way behind, in front,
Which he must pace for evermore alone --
So, even so, is Life to every soul,
Walled in with barriers which no Love can break.

And yet, ah me! how often would we break
Through fence and fold, and overleap the walls,
To link ourselves to some beloved soul;
Hearing her answering voice until the end,
Going her chosen way, no more alone,
But happy comrades, seeing Heaven in front.

But, ah, the barrier's high! and still my front
I dash against the stones in vain, nor break
A passage through, but still remain alone.
Sometimes I hear across high garden walls
A voice the wind brings over, or an end
Of song that sinks like dew into my soul.

Since others sing, let me forget, my Soul,
How dreary-long the road goes on in front,
And tow'rds how flat, inevitable an end.
Come, let me look for daisies, let me break
The gillyflowers that shelter in the walls --
But, ah! it is so sad to be alone!

For ever, irremediably alone,
Not only I or thou, but every soul,
Each cased and fastened with invisible walls.
Shall we go mad with it? or bear a front
Of desperate courage doomed to fail and break?
Or trudge in sullen patience till the end?

Ah, hope of every heart, there is an end!
An end when each shall be no more alone,
But strong enough and bold enough to break
This prisoning self and find that larger Soul
(Neither of thee nor me) enthroned in front
Of Time, beyond the world's remotest walls!

I trust the end; I sing within my walls,
Sing all alone, to bid some listening soul
Wait till the day break, watch for me in front!





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net