ACROSS the lone floor of the rayless night One came to a door that was barred on light, A glimmer agleam through beckoning chink, As with lamp's still beam, as with taper's blink. And sore she sued their shrine to win, From mirk and moan of the wild shut in, And fled the fear its menace bore With shrouding of shadow evermore. So out of the dark, as it breathed its dread, Shrill crying, she knocked with a hope ill-sped, For grim and stark that portal wide At her hand's touch mocked, and her prayer denied. Then sick at heart, that found not grace, She turned her again the night to face, As terror turns on swift-foot foes And lo! the clear east all climbing rose. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE COURTSHIP OF THE YONGHY-BONGHY-BO by EDWARD LEAR PIONEERS! O PIONEERS! by WALT WHITMAN NEWS OF THE WORLD: 3 by GEORGE BARKER THE LEADERS by LOUISE E. V. BOYD PRAYER OF A SPORTSMAN by BERTON BRALEY THE WANDERER: 1. IN ITALY: CONDEMNED ONES by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON |