Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


LONE MOUNTAIN; CEMETERY, SAN FRANCISCO by FRANCIS BRET HARTE

Poet Analysis

First Line: THIS IS THAT HILL OF AWE
Last Line: HINDBAD AND SINDBAD.

THIS is that hill of awe
That Persian Sindbad saw, --
The mount magnetic;
And on its seaward face,
Scattered along its base,
The wrecks prophetic.

Here comes the argosies
Blown by each idle breeze,
To and fro shifting;
Yet to the hill of Fate
All drawing, soon or late, --
Day by day drifting; --

Drifting forever here
Barks that for many a year
Braved wind and weather;
Shallops but yesterday
Launched on yon shining bay, --
Drawn all together.

This is the end of all:
Sun thyself by the wall,
O poorer Hindbad!
Envy not Sindbad's fame:
Here come alike the same,
Hindbad and Sindbad.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net