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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE GOLDEN AGE, by ERNEST FRANCISCO FENOLLOSA Poet Analysis First Line: This world was not Last Line: Of its christ again. | |||
THIS world was not As it now is seen: It once was clothed With a deeper green; And rarer gems Than the ice-caves hold The sea brought up On the sands of gold. But rust of ages, The breath of Time, The meadows covered With early rime; And the wild grass faded, The gems were gone, And the wave fell cold As it thundered on. In bygone ages The world was fair, And the moon-god played With her golden hair; And the paling stars With love-white arms Bent down to welcome A sister's charms. The air lay sweet With the breath of pines; The hill-tops glowed With their wealth of mines; And sweet, and low, And rich, and free, The wild, dark music Stole over the sea. And the sea-waves laughed At the saffron moon; And the musk-rose smiled With her soul of June; And the golden age Of Nature's years No warning heard Of her coming tears. But the hand of man Was the sword of death: A poison lurked In his savage breath, And the wealth of years And the glow of years Were drowned in a flood Of swelling tears. The world was fair In the days of yore; But that golden age Shall come no more. The sun may shine, And wild flowers bloom; But the goal of all Is the open tomb, -- The end of all Is the silent grave; And beauty lies In the cold still wave. And the world shall harden The hearts of men Till it hear the voice Of its Christ again. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A SONG FOR THE SINGLE TABLE ON NEW YEAR'S DAY by ELIZABETH FRANCES AMHERST OUR PASSWORD by ISIDORE G. ASCHER MOURNING WOMEN by MATHILDE BLIND WHITMAN'S RIDE FOR OREGON by HEZEKIAH BUTTERWORTH FACES IN THE NIGHT by WILLIAM A. BYRNE SOLILOQUY OF A BARD IN THE COUNTRY by GEORGE GORDON BYRON THE HERO OF FORT WAGNER by PHOEBE CARY WAS HE HENPECKED? by PHOEBE CARY AN ODE ON THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BASTILE by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE |
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