Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A BALLAD OF APPEAL, by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Song wakes with every wakening year Last Line: Sweet water from the well of song. Subject(s): Spring; Wind | ||||||||
SONG wakes with every wakening year From hearts of birds that only feel Brief spring's deciduous flower-time near: And song more strong to help or heal Shall silence worse than winter seal? From love-lit thought's remurmuring cave The notes that rippled, wave on wave, Were clear as love, as faith were strong; And all souls blessed the soul that gave Sweet water from the well of song. All hearts bore fruit of joy to hear, All eyes felt mist upon them steal For joy's sake, trembling toward a tear, When, loud as marriage-bells that peal, Or flutelike soft, or keen like steel, Sprang the sheer music; sharp or grave, We heard the drift of winds that drave, And saw, swept round by ghosts in throng, Dark rocks, that yielded, where they clave, Sweet water from the well of song. Blithe verse made all the dim sense clear That smiles of babbling babes conceal: Prayer's perfect heart spake here: and here Rose notes of blameless woe and weal, More soft than this poor song's appeal. Where orchards bask, where cornfields wave, They dropped like rains that cleanse and lave, And scattered all the year along, Like dewfall on an April grave, Sweet water from the well of song. Ballad, go bear our prayer, and crave Pardon, because thy lowlier stave Can do this plea no right, but wrong. Ask nought beside thy pardon, save Sweet water from the well of song. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE THREE CHILDREN by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN THE WIND by LOUISE MOREY BOWMAN LEAF LITTER ON ROCK FACE by HEATHER MCHUGH RESIDENTIAL AREA by JOSEPHINE MILES THE DAY THE WINDS by JOSEPHINE MILES VARIATIONS: 12 by CONRAD AIKEN OH IT'S PRETTY WINDY OUTSIDE by LARRY EIGNER A BALLAD OF DEATH by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE |
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