Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE ELDER'S REBUKE, by EMILY JANE BRONTE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Listen! When your hair, like mine Last Line: If I have wronged rosina's love -- Alternate Author Name(s): Bell, Ellis Variant Title(s): From A Dungeon Wall In ... Southern Cottage;from A Dungeon Wall In The Southern College Subject(s): Aging | ||||||||
'Listen! when your hair like mine Takes a tint of silver grey, When your eyes, with dimmer shine, Watch life's bubbles float away, 'When you, young man, have borne like me The weary weight of sixty-three Then shall penance sore be paid For these hours so wildly squandered And the words that now fall dead On your ears be deeply pondered Pondered and approved at last But their virtue will be past! 'Glorious is the prize of Duty Though she be a serious power Treacherous all the lures of Beauty Thorny bud and poisonous flower! 'Mirth is but a mad beguiling Of the golden gifted Time -- Love -- a demon meteor wiling Heedless feet to gulfs of crime. 'Those who follow earthly pleasure Heavenly Knowledge will not lead Wisdom hides from them her treasure, Virtue bids them evil speed! 'Vainly may their hearts, repenting, Seek for aid in future years -- Wisdom scorned knows no relenting -- Virtue is not won by tears 'Fain would we your steps reclaim Waken fear and holy shame And to this end, our council well And kindly doomed you to a cell Whose darkness, may perchance, disclose A beacon-guide from sterner woes' -- So spake my judge -- then seized his lamp And left me in the dungeon damp, A vault-like place whose stagnant air Suggests and nourishes despair! Rosina, this had never been Except for you, my despot queen! Except for you the billowy sea Would now be tossing under me The wind's voice my bosom thrill And my glad heart bound wilder still Flying before the rapid gale Those wondrous southern isles to hail Which wait for my companions free But thank your passion -- not for me! You know too well -- and so do I Your haughty beauty's sovereignty Yet have I read those falcon eyes -- Have dived into their mysteries -- Have studied long their glance and feel It is not love those eyes reveal -- They Flash -- they burn with lightning shine But not with such fond fire as mine; The tender star fades faint and wan Before Ambition's scorching sun -- So deem I now -- and Time will prove If I have wronged Rosina's love -- | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AFTER THE GENTLE POET KOBAYASHI ISSA by ROBERT HASS MEMORY AS A HEARING AID by TONY HOAGLAND AMOROSA AND COMPANY by CONRAD AIKEN GRAY WEATHER by ROBINSON JEFFERS FROM THE SPANISH by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON A DAY DREAM by EMILY JANE BRONTE |
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