Hark! the flow of the four rivers -- Hark the flow! How the silence round you shivers, While our voices through it go, Cold and clear. Think a little, while ye hear, Of the banks Where the willows and the deer Crowd in intermingled ranks, As if all would drink at once Where the living water runs! -- Of the fishes' golden edges Flashing in and out the sedges; Of the swans on silver thrones, Floating down the winding streams With impassive eyes turned shoreward And a chant of undertones, -- And the lotus leaning forward To help them into dreams. Fare ye well, farewell! The river-sounds, no longer audible, Expire at Eden's door. Each footstep of your treading Treads out some murmur which ye heard before. Farewell! the streams of Eden Ye shall hear nevermore! I am the nearest nightingale That singeth in Eden after you; And I am singing loud and true, And sweet, --I do not fail. I sit upon a cypress bough, Close to the gate, and I fling my song Over the gate and through the mail Of the warden angels marshall'd strong, -- Over the gate and after you! And the warden angels let it pass, Because the poor brown bird, alas, Sings in the garden, sweet and true. And I build my song of high pure notes, Note over note, height over height, Till I strike the arch of the Infinite, And I bridge abysmal agonies With strong, clear calms of harmonies, -- And something abides, and something floats, In the song which I sing after you. Fare ye well, farewell! The creature-sounds, no longer audible, Expire at Eden's door. Each footstep of your treading Treads out some cadence which ye heard before Farewell! the birds of Eden Ye shall hear nevermore! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HAWORTH CHURCHYARD by MATTHEW ARNOLD THE LAST WORD by MATTHEW ARNOLD A SONG [OF DIVINE LOVE] by RICHARD CRASHAW ASTROPHEL AND STELLA: FOURTH SONG by PHILIP SIDNEY COLUMBUS [JANUARY, 1487] by LYDIA HUNTLEY SIGOURNEY LEE TO THE REAR [MAY 12, 1864] by JOHN REUBEN THOMPSON |