Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE PALM-TREE, by HENRY VAUGHAN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Dear friend sit down, and bear awhile this shade Last Line: And weave it for your head against you wake. Alternate Author Name(s): Silurist Subject(s): Palm Trees | ||||||||
Dear friend sit down, and bear awhile this shade As I have yours long since; this plant, you see So pressed and bowed, before sin did degrade Both you and it, had equal liberty With other trees: but now shut from the breath And air of Eden, like a malcontent It thrives nowhere. This makes these weights (like death And sin) hang at him; for the more he's bent The more he grows. Celestial natures still Aspire for home; this Solomon of old By flowers and carvings and mysterious skill Of wings, and cherubims, and palms foretold. This is the life which hid above with Christ In God, doth always (hidden) multiply, And spring, and grow, a tree ne'er to be priced, A tree, whose fruit is immortality. Here spirits that have run their race and fought And won the fight, and have not feared the frowns Nor loved the smiles of greatness, but have wrought Their master's will, meet to receive their crowns. Here is the patience of the saints: this tree Is watered by their tears, as flowers are fed With dew by night; but One you cannot see Sits here and numbers all the tears they shed. Here is their faith too, which if you will keep When we two part, I will a journey make To pluck a garland hence, while you do sleep, And weave it for your head against you wake. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE PALM TREE by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS THE ARAB TO THE PALM by BAYARD TAYLOR THE PALM-TREE by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER THE PALM TREE by ABD-AR RAHMAN I WAY DOWN SOUTH ON THE OLD S'WANNEE by BENJAMIN D. DAVIES THE DOVES by THEOPHILE GAUTIER PALM SONG by ELSE LASKER-SCHULER |
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