Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SONNET ON LIFE, by BROOKE BOOTHBY First Line: What art thou, life? The shadow of a dream Last Line: Death surely ends at once the dreamer and the dream? Subject(s): Life | ||||||||
What art thou, Life? The shadow of a dream: The past and future dwell in thought alone; The present, ere we note its flight, is gone; And all ideal, vain, fantastic, seem. Whence is thy source? And whither dost thou tend? So short thy period, and thy form so frail; Poor prisoner! pent in Death's surrounding vale, Born but to breathe, to suffer, and to end. Why, Shadow, bring'st thou on thy raven wing Dark trains of grief and visions of the night, Rather than graces robed in purple light, Elysian flowers and love's unclouded spring, Since sad or gay, whatever be thy theme, Death surely ends at once the dreamer and the dream? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...PRIVILEGE OF BEING by ROBERT HASS SEAWATER STIFFENS CLOTH by JANE HIRSHFIELD SAYING YES TO LIVING by DAVID IGNATOW THE WORLD IS SO DIFFICULT TO GIVE UP by DAVID IGNATOW THE ARCHITECT (1) by KAREN SWENSON |
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