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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ON THE BALCONY, by PAUL VERLAINE Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Both watched the uncertain swallows sudden farewell Last Line: The tumbled, odorous bed, wide-opening in the gloom. Subject(s): Flowers; Love; Romance; Roses | |||
Both watched the uncertain swallows sudden farewell winging; The one so pale, jet-haired, the other with a face Of roses, and their loosened gowns of light old lace About their sweetness, vague as summer clouds were clinging. And both, with a languor of the wan asphodel, While in the heavens lifted the moon's limp flower, Tasted with thirsty lips the night's impassioned hour, And the sad joy of faithful hearts that love too well. Thus, clasped and supple, the pallid sky of beauty draining, Mysterious-loving pair, all other loves disdaining, Thus, on the balcony, hand hot in hand, they dreamed. Behind them, deep in the rich shadows of the room, Emphatic as the throne of a great drama, gleamed The tumbled, odorous Bed, wide-opening in the gloom. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE WHISPER OF THE ROSE by EDMUND JOHN ARMSTRONG THE WISDOM OF THE ROSE by ELSA BARKER LOVE PLANTED A ROSE by KATHARINE LEE BATES ROSES; A VILANELLE by LOUISA SARAH BEVINGTON THE PAINTER ON SILK by AMY LOWELL VARIATIONS: 17 by CONRAD AIKEN WORDS IN A CERTAIN APPROPRIATE MODE by HAYDEN CARRUTH A FORGOTTEN TUNE by PAUL VERLAINE |
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