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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A PALINODE, by EDMUND BOLTON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: As withereth the primrose by the river Last Line: As shine by fountains, bubbles, flowers, or snow? Subject(s): Transience; Vanity; Impermanence | |||
As withereth the primrose by the river, As fadeth summer's sun from gliding fountains, As vanisheth the light-blown bubble ever, As melteth snow upon the mossy mountains: So melts, so vanisheth, so fades, so withers The rose, the shine, the bubble, and the snow Of praise, pomp, glory, joy (which short life gathers), Fair praise, vain pomp, sweet glory, brittle joy. The withered primrose by the mourning river, The faded summer's sun from weeping fountains, The light-blown bubble vanished for ever, The molten snow upon the naked mountains, Are emblems that the treasures we up-lay Soon wither, vanish, fade, and melt away. For as the snow, whose lawn did overspread Th' ambitious hills, which giant-like did threat To pierce the heaven with their aspiring head, Naked and bare doth leave their craggy seat; Whenas the bubble, which did empty fly The dalliance of the undiscerned wind, On whose calm rolling waves it did rely, Hath shipwreck made, where it did dalliance find; And when the sunshine which dissolved the snow, Coloured the bubble with a pleasant vary, And made the rathe and timely primrose grow, Swarth clouds withdraw, which longer time do tarry: O! what is praise, pomp, glory, joy, but so As shine by fountains, bubbles, flowers, or snow? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FROM THE SPANISH by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON CHAMBER MUSIC: 17 by JAMES JOYCE SOUTHERN GOTHIC by DONALD JUSTICE THE BEACH IN AUGUST by WELDON KEES THE MAN SPLITTING WOOD IN THE DAYBREAK by GALWAY KINNELL THE SEEKONK WOODS by GALWAY KINNELL LIFE OR DEATH by EDMUND BOLTON THE SHEPHERD'S SONG: A CAROL OR HYMN FOR CHRISTMAS by EDMUND BOLTON |
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