Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ODE TO THE RARITAN RIVER, by JOHN DAVIS (1805-) First Line: Lost in a pleasing wild surprise Last Line: "thou queen of rivers, raritan." Subject(s): Rivers | ||||||||
Lost in a pleasing wild surprise, I mark the fountains round me rise And in an artless current flow Thro' dark and lofty woods below, That from the world the soul confine And raise the thoughts to things divine. O sacred stream! a stranger, I Would stay to see thee passing by, And mark thee wandering thus alone, With varied turns so like my own! Wild, as a stranger led astray, I see thee wind in woods away, And hasting thro' the trees to glide, As if thy gentle face to hide, While oft in vain thou wouldst return To visit here thy native urn; But, like an exile doomed no more To see the scenes he loved before, You wander on, and wind in vain, Dispersed amid the boundless main. Here often, on thy borders green, Perhaps thy native sons were seen, Ere slaves were made, or gold was known, Or children from another zone Inglorious did with axes rude Into thy noble groves intrude, And forced thy naked son to flee To woods where he might still be free. And thou! that art my present theme, O gentle spirit of the stream! Then too, perhaps, to thee was given A name among the race of heaven; And oft adored by Nature's child Whene'er he wandered in the wild. And oft perhaps, beside the flood In darkness of the grove he stood, Invoking here thy friendly aid To guide him thro' the doubtful shade; Till overhead the moon in view Thro' heaven's blue fields the chariot drew, And showed him all thy wat'ry face, Reflected with a purer grace, Thy many turnings thro' the trees Thy bitter journey to the seas; While oft thy murmurs loud and long Awaked his melancholy song; Which this in simple strain began, "Thou Queen of Rivers, Raritan." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...RIVERS INTO SEAS by LYNDA HULL TO A WOMAN GLANCING UP FROM THE RIVER by LARRY LEVIS TWO-RIVER LEDGER by KHALED MATTAWA HE FINDS THE MANSION by JAMES MCMICHAEL THE RIVERS by CLARIBEL ALEGRIA VERMILION FLYCATCHER, SAN PEDRO RIVER, ARIZONA by MARGARET ATWOOD THE PORCH OVER THE RIVER by WENDELL BERRY THE RIVER BRIDGED AND FORGOT by WENDELL BERRY VILLA PAULINE by KATHERINE MANSFIELD |
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