UPVEILED in yonder dim ethereal sea, Its airy towers the work of phantom spells, A viewless belfry tolls its wizard bells, Pealed o'er this populous earth perpetually. Some hear, some hear them not; but aye they be Laden with one strange note that sinks or swells, Now dread as doom, now gentle as farewells, Time's dirge borne ever toward eternity. Each hour its measured breath sobs out and dies, While the bell tolls its requiem, -- "@3Passing, past@1," -- The sole sad burden of their long refrain. Still, with those hours each pang, each pleasure flies, Brief sweet, brief bitter, -- all our days are vain, Knolled into drear forgetfulness at last. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE MAD GARDENER'S SONG by CHARLES LUTWIDGE DODGSON THE ANNIVERSARY [ANNIVERSARIE] by JOHN DONNE EPITAPH FOR SIR PHILIP SIDNEY, AT ST. PAUL'S WITHOUT A MONUMENT ... by EDWARD HERBERT THE COURTSHIP OF MILES STANDISH by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW ASTROPHEL AND STELLA: 14 by PHILIP SIDNEY THE EMPEROR OF ICE-CREAM by WALLACE STEVENS |