THE shadow of the lantern on the wall, The lantern hanging from the twisted beam, The eye that sees the lantern, shadow and all. The crackle of the sinking fire in the grate, The far train, the slow echo in the coombe, The ear that hears fire, train and echo and all. The loveliness that is the secret shape Of once-seen, sweet and oft-dreamed loveliness, The brain that builds shape, memory, dream and all. ... A white moon stares Time's thinning fabric through, And makes substantial insubstantial seem, And shapes immortal mortal as a dream; And eye and brain flicker as shadows do Restlessly dancing on a cloudy wall. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CHRISTMAS by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR EPITAPH ON AN ARMY OF MERCENARIES by ALFRED EDWARD HOUSMAN A MOTHER'S LOVE by JAMES MONTGOMERY A RECIPE FOR SALAD by SYDNEY SMITH A DEDICATION by ALFRED TENNYSON OUR STATE by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER SUMMER NIGHT by KENNETH SLADE ALLING |