Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SOROLLA, by OLIVE TILFORD DARGAN Poet's Biography First Line: I am fleet,' said the joy of the sun Last Line: And sorrow the sigh of a day. Alternate Author Name(s): Burke, Fielding Subject(s): Time | ||||||||
"I AM fleet," said the joy of the sun, Trembling then on the breast Of the summer, white, still; "I am fleet, I am gone!" Smiling came one With brush and a will, Undelaying, unpressed, And the glancing gold of the tremulous sun Lingers for man, inescapable, won. "Not here, nor yet there," Cried the waves that fled, "Shall ye set us a snare. Motion is breath of us, Stillness is death of us; We live as we run, We pause and are sped!" Laughing came one With brush and a will, And the waves never die and are nevermore still. "I pass," said the light On the joy-child's face; But softly came one And it leaves not its place. Here Time shall replight His faith with the dawn, And his ages, gaunt gray, Ever cycling, behold Their youth never flown In a world never old, Though they pass and repass with their trailing decay. "We stay," said the shadows, and hung On the brush of the master; "we are thine own." Fearless he flung The magical chains around them, and said, "Ye too shall be light, and to life bring the sun!" And man delayed By the captive pain's revealing glow Feeleth earth's breathing woe, And his vow is made; "Ye shall pass, ye shadows, yea; And life, as the sun, be free; The God in me saith!" And the shadows go; For joy is the breath Of eternity, And sorrow the sigh of a day. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ELEVEN EYES: FINAL SECTION by LYN HEJINIAN THE FATALIST: COME OCTOBER by LYN HEJINIAN THE FATALIST: HOME by LYN HEJINIAN THE FATALIST: TIME IS FILLED by LYN HEJINIAN SLOWLY: I FREQUENTLY SLOWLY WISH by LYN HEJINIAN ALL THE DIFFICULT HOURS AND MINUTES by JANE HIRSHFIELD A DAY IS VAST by JANE HIRSHFIELD FROM THIS HEIGHT by TONY HOAGLAND THE PATH-FLOWER by OLIVE TILFORD DARGAN |
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