Classic and Contemporary Poetry
DAWN IN ITALY AND IN LONDON, by JOHN GOULD FLETCHER Poet's Biography First Line: Beneath the sombre cypresses Last Line: And the slum of grim despair. Subject(s): Despair; Italy; London; Italians | ||||||||
BENEATH the sombre cypresses The faded petals fall, Against the dawn's grey wall Are etched the motionless trees: And the last perfume of the rose is borne Out to die at the gates of the morn. There are only four things Which my soul can find To match its moody mind: The lake of the mountain springs, The sad, caressing wind, The star aloft in the air, And the tree in the desert bare. To each dim blackened roof A leaden fogbank clings: With acrid smoke it stings, he sunlight stays aloof. he traffic grumbles by, Men live and suffer -- why? There are only four things Which my soul can find To match its moody mind: The ancient house which rots, Suburban rubbish lots, The abandoned factory bare, And the slum of grim despair. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...1851: A MESSAGE TO DENMARK HILL by RICHARD HOWARD TONIGHT THE HEART-SHAPED LEAVES by JAN HELLER LEVI JEWISH GRAVEYARDS, ITALY by PHILIP LEVINE SAILING HOME FROM RAPALLO by ROBERT LOWELL SUNLIGHT AND SHADOW by LISEL MUELLER HOW DUKE VALENTINE CONTRIVED by BASIL BUNTING FRAGMENTS FROM ITALY: 1 by JOHN CIARDI ARIZONA POEMS: 2. MEXICAN QUARTER by JOHN GOULD FLETCHER |
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