Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MUSIC'S ECHO, by JOHN FREEMAN Poet's Biography First Line: In my ears it grew Last Line: Upon the breast of day. Subject(s): Dreams; Music & Musicians; Nightmares | ||||||||
IN my ears it grew, Sound of joyous laughter, Echo of plunging rivers Flying a rainbow after, And long-breathed notes Of wind through deep caves, With singing of bent pines When the torn west raves, And those long trembling chords Of falling waves; Of all these it grew, Then sighed, as a willow That air and water laves. And a likeness was wrought That cleared as I gazed. Of Jonathan a look I caught Who died in his spring; Solomon, his brow so wide, Beard heavy, tawny hands, Solomon in his pride; And Hector who 'neath Troy Ev'n Hectorhad died; And Roland who to Echo's Far, fainter horn replied; And the Black Prince that Réveillé, Réveillé! cried; And Sidney, with grave honour Stooped at his side; And Wolfe, lonely and beautiful Yet, as he died; And Nelson, azure bright, With stars and beams bedight ... A music, a brightness, Grew upon the air, Shape plain as mountain's crest, Sound like seamew's clear; Came it whence? and passed Whitherand why? Fading, brightening, changing Like a cloud in the sky. Even as dreams shine When stares a child upon Marvels no elder knows, So splendour shone; And even so my lids Drooped that I might stay Awhile the shape of first delight Upon the breast of day. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...VARIATIONS: 14 by CONRAD AIKEN VARIATIONS: 18 by CONRAD AIKEN LIVE IT THROUGH by DAVID IGNATOW A DREAM OF GAMES by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN THE DREAM OF WAKING by RANDALL JARRELL APOLOGY FOR BAD DREAMS by ROBINSON JEFFERS |
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