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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ECLOGUE, by JOHN CROWE RANSOM Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Jane sneed began it: my poor john, alas! Last Line: Beneath ground as above. Subject(s): Life; Love - Marital; Wedded Love; Marriage - Love | |||
JANE SNEED BEGAN IT: My poor John, alas! Ten years ago, pretty it was in a ring To run as boys and girls do in the grass -- At that time, leap and hollo and skip and sing Came easily to pass. And precious little innocents were we! Said a boy, "Now shall we let her be the fox?" Or a girl, "Now which of you will climb the tree?" We were quick-foot the deer, strong-heart the ox, Business-man the bee. JOHN BLACK SAID: I'll interpret what you mean. Our infant selves played happily with our others, The cunning me and mine came not between, Which like a sword is, O sweethearts and brothers Numberless, who have seen. JANE SNEED: I tell you what I used to do. For joy I used to run by river or wood To see with what speed all came trooping too; Those days, I could not quit you if I would! Nor yet quit me, could you. JOHN BLACK RETURNED: But now, Jane, it appears, We are sly travellers, keeping good lookout Against the face whose ravage cries for tears; Old friends, ill-met; and supposing I call out, Draw nigh, friend of these years! -- Before he think of any reason why, The features of that man resolve and burn For one long look -- but then the flame must die. The cold hearts in us mortally return, We may not fructify. JANE SNEED SAID BITTERLY: Why, John, you are right. We were spendthrifts of joy when we were young, But we became usurious, and in fright Conceived that such a waste of days was wrong For marchers unto night. JOHN BLACK SAID: Yes, exactly, that was when It happened. For Time involved us: in his toils We learned to fear. And every day since then We are mortals teasing for immortal spoils, Desperate women and men. JANE SNEED CONSENTED: It was nothing but this. Love suffereth long, is kind -- but not in fear. For boys run banded, and simple sweethearts kiss, Till, on one day, the face of Death appear, Then metamorphosis! JOHN BLACK SAID: To explain mistrust and wars, Theogony has a black witch with hell's broth; Or a preposterous marriage of fleshless stars; Or the Fiend's own naked person; or God worth Fingering his red scars. And Philosophy, an art of equal worth, Tells of a flaw in the firmament -- spots in the sun -- A Third Day's error when the upheaving earth Was young and prime -- a Fate reposed upon The born, before their birth. JANE SNEED WITH GRIM LIPS MOCKED HIM: Who can tell -- Not I, not you -- about these mysteries! Something, John Black, came flapping out of hell And wrought between us, and the chasm is Digged -- and it digged it well. JOHN BLACK IN DEPRECATION SAID: Be sure That love has suffered a most fatal eclipse All brotherhoods, filialities insecure; Lovers compounding honey on their lips With deep doubts to endure. JANE SNEED SAID SLOWLY: I suppose it stands Just so. Yet I can picture happiness -- Still wander lovers in the fairy lands Who, when stalks Night the dark and fathomless, Consort their little hands; And well, John Black, those darkened lovers may, For hands hold much of heat in little storage, And eyes are flickerless torches good as day; The flame of each to the other's flame cries Courage! Soon heart to heart slide they. Thus unafraid they keep the whole night through, Till the sun of a sudden glowing through the brushes; They wake and laugh, their eyes again are blue, They run to the fields, and apprehend the thrushes, And print the fairy dew. JOHN BLACK'S THE LAST SAY THEN: O innocent dove, This is a dream. We lovers mournfully Exchange our bleak despairs. We are one part love And nine parts bitter thought. As well might be Beneath ground as above. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO MY WIFE by GEORGE WASHINGTON BETHUNE VARIATION ON THE WORD SLEEP by MARGARET ATWOOD IN THE MONTH OF MAY by ROBERT BLY CONRAD AT TWILIGHT by JOHN CROWE RANSOM |
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