Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, VOICE IN SILENCE, by JOHN FREEMAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

VOICE IN SILENCE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Ghast in white moonshine shone the frozen / bones
Last Line: Sudden, in a muted world, your human note.
Subject(s): Love; Nature; Silence


GHAST in white moonshine shone the frozen bones
Of trees above the naked stone-ribbed field.
Everything silent lay, not even a shadow
Trembled: all living like all dead was stilled.

Not stiller the leaning stones in the crazed churchyard,
Not stiller the dust couched on the dust beneath,
Not stiller the bright dust speckling the windless sky,
Than field and tree in this cold stare of death.

The windows of the house were shut and blind,
The pear-tree clutched the walls for warmth—in vain;
No fire, no smoke, within the chimney crawled,
No gilt beam beckoned from the porch-door pane.

Turning away for ever where the path led
From silence down to silence, I stayed to listen
And stare and listen and stare. What was it then
Below the dead-ivy wall, in the frozen glisten

And glitter of stars above and frost below?
—Water that gleamed in the steep ditch. What sound?
—Water's voice, singing alone and sweet,
Now clear and swift her notes, then underground

Flowing and falling silent awhile, and then
Shaking the dark and silence from her throat ...
And I, O strange Love, startled from stone to hear
Sudden, in a muted world, your human note.





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