Classic and Contemporary Poetry
LINES SUGGESTED BY HEARING MUSIC ON THE BOSTON COMMON, by THOMAS COLE (1801-1848) First Line: Music it was I heard, and music too Last Line: The cave of silence their eternal tomb. Subject(s): Boston; Music & Musicians | ||||||||
Music it was I heard, and music too Of mortal utterance; but it did sound Unto my Fancy's ear like that of spirits; Spirits that dwell within the vasty caves Near the earths center -- Silence dwelt around. Then came soft sounds slowly, with pauses 'twixt Like sighs of sleepers in deep distant caves They sank and list'ning silence reign'd again. Then rose a voice, a single voice but shrill It rent the sable curtains of the gloom And pierc'd the confines of each echoing cave, And ev'ry spirit rais'd his sleepy head From the cold pillow of the dripping rock -- Again the single voice, rung with a shriller tone, Each spirit answer'd from his hidden nook -- Some voices came from distant winding clifts And sought the ear like Angel whisperings. From the deep arches of the rocky roof Tones rich as those of heav'ns own trumpets burst. From out the dark profound abysms arose Sounds as of earthquake, thunder, or the roar Of booming cataracts -- Silence again -- Hark! they have met within the giant hall: Whose roof is pillar'd by huge mountain tops, And voices shrill, and deep in concord loudly join. The heaving harmony sweeps to and fro Surge over surge and fills the ample place. Ocean of sound sublime! ! The tides contend, Augment, higher, yet higher; Earth cannot Contain; it yields -- tis riven -- and falling rocks And tottering pinnacles join their dread voices In the tumultuous and astounding roar -- 'Tis past. And nought now strikes the waiting ear Save the soft echoes ling'ring on their way. Soft! They have ceas'd to whisper, having found The cave of silence their eternal tomb. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LINER NOTES TO AN IMAGINARY PLAYLIST by TERRANCE HAYES VARIATIONS: 13 by CONRAD AIKEN BELIEVE, BELIEVE by BOB KAUFMAN ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT by BOB KAUFMAN MUSIC by CHARLOTTE FISKE BATES THE POWER OF MUSIC by CHARLOTTE FISKE BATES A PAINTER by THOMAS COLE (1801-1848) |
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