Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A SONG OF SUN SETTING, by JANE BARLOW


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A SONG OF SUN SETTING, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: More fleet than flights of fire
Last Line: Even so my sweet merle sings.


More fleet than flights of fire,
More soft than stealth of sleep,
Speed down abysses dire,
'Twixt outpost stars that keep
Lone boundary lights ablaze,
While, meshed in spiry rings,
Suns weave their devious maze--
Even so my sweet merle sings

He furls his dusky wings
Beneath the ivy-hood
That o'er yon gate-arch clings,
As hill and field and wood,
Through pale mists hovering dim
Go lifted high and higher,
Up, up, with cup-curved rim
Against the West's rose fire.

Speed swiftlier still and nigher,
Nay, ere our veiled dawn slings,
The disc of vermell fire,
Breathe hither, O Spring of Springs--
Thy spell's enchanted might,
Whose sudden gramary brings
A change to strange delight--
'Tis so my sweet merle sings.

Ah, list his soothsayings,
Of joy unthought, untold,
Waked in all mortal things,
Till even the weary and old
Must deem they dream the truth,
And see their soul's desire,
Thrilled through anew with youth,
Whose shadow is dew and fire.

Fled hate and wrath's fell fire,
Slain fear and sorrowing sore,
The very airs inspire
Love-lore and wonder-lore;
A heaven no heart shall miss,
Where storm wild rapture flings,
And calm sheds balm of bliss--
Even so my sweet merle sings.





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