Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE CATARACT ISLE, by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH Poem Explanation Poet's Biography First Line: I wandered through the ancient wood Last Line: Its dreams -- that peaceful isle! | ||||||||
I wandered through the ancient wood That crowns the cataract isle. I heard the roaring of the flood And saw its wild, fierce smile. Through tall tree-tops the sunshine flecked The huge trunks and the ground, And the pomp of fullest summer decked The island all around. And winding paths led all along Where friends and lovers strayed, And voices rose with laugh and song From sheltered nooks of shade. Through opening forest vistas whirled The rapids' foamy flash, As they boiled along and plunged and swirled, And neared the last long dash. I crept to the island's outer verge, Where the grand, broad river fell, -- Fell sheer down mid foam and surge In a white and blinding hell. The steady rainbow gayly shone Above the precipice, And the deep low tone of a thunder groan Rolled up from the drear abyss. And all the day sprang up the spray Where the broad white sheets were poured, And fell around in showery play, Or upward curled and soared. And all the night those sheets of white Gleamed through the spectral mist, When o'er the isle the broad moonlight The wintry foam-flakes kissed. Mirrored within my dreamy thought, I see it, feel it all, -- That island with sweet visions fraught, That awful waterfall. With sunflecked trees, and birds and flowers, The Isle of Life is fair; But one deep voice thrills through its hours, One spectral form is there, -- A power no mortal can resist, Rolling forever on, -- A floating cloud, a shadowy mist, Eternal undertone. And through the sunny vistas gleam The fate, the solemn smile. Life is Niagara's rushing stream; Its dreams -- that peaceful isle! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BOBOLINKS by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH THE PINES AND THE SEA by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH A CHILD-SAVIOUR (A TRUE STORY) by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH A NIGHT-PICTURE by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH A POET'S SOLILOQUY by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH A QUESTION by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH A WORD TO PHILOSOPHERS by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH AFTER THE CENTENNIAL (A HOPE) by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH AFTER-LIFE by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH AN OLD CAT'S CONFESSIONS by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH |
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