WITH potent north winds rushing swiftly down, Blended in glorious chant, on yesternight Old Winter came with locks and beard of white, The hoarfrost glittering on his ancient crown: He sent his icy breathings through the pane, He raved and rattled at the close-shut doors, Then waned with hollow murmur down the moors, To rise, revive and sweep the world again. The chorus of great winds which gird him round Hold many voices -- the deep trumpet's swell, The air harp's mournful burden of fare-well, The fife's shrill tones, the clarion's silvery sound: But o'er the roof-tree, 'round the gable rings Loudest his wind of onset, hour by hour, Till a new sense of almost rapturous power Comes on the mighty waftage of his wings; Sense of fresh hope and faith's rekindled glow, The awakened aim, the brain drawn tense and high, To shoot its fiery thoughts against the sky, Like arrows launched from some deft archer's bow! All latent forces of our being start To marshalled order, ranged in battle line, While the roused life-blood with a thrill divine Runs tingling thro' the chambers of the heart. Summer is rich with dreams of languid tone; October sunsets feed the soul with light; But give @3me@1 winter's war wind in his might, O'er the scourged lands and turbulent oceans blown. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LET IT BE YOU by SARA TEASDALE ODE TO WISDOM by ELIZABETH CARTER YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR FOR THE BED AT KELMSCOTT by WILLIAM MORRIS (1834-1896) FRAGMENT OF AN 'ANTIGONE' by MATTHEW ARNOLD EBB TIDE AT NOON by FRANK GELETT BURGESS |