Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ON CROSSING THE RANGE OF HIGH LAND BETWEEN STONE AND MARKET DRAYTON, by REGINALD HEBER


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ON CROSSING THE RANGE OF HIGH LAND BETWEEN STONE AND MARKET DRAYTON, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Dread inmate of the northern zone!
Last Line: And fingers ghastly blue!
Subject(s): Cold; Frost; Winter


DREAD inmate of the northern zone!
And hast thou left thine ancient throne
On Zembla's hills of snow,
Thine arrowy sleet and icy shower
On us, unbroken to thy power,
With reckless hand to throw?

Enough for us thy milder sway,
The yellow mist, the shorten'd day,
The sun of fainter glow;
The frost which scarce our verdure felt,
And rarely seen, and but to melt,
The wreath of transient snow.

I met thee once by Volga's tide,
Nor fear'd thy terrors to abide
On Valdai's sullen brow;
But little thought on English down
Thy darkest wrath and fiercest frown
So soon again to know.

Oh for my schube's accustom'd fold,
Which then, in ample bear-skin roll'd,
Defied thy dread career!
Oh for the cap of sable warm,
Which guarded then from pinching harm
My nose, and cheek, and ear!

Mine old kibitka, where art thou?
Gloves, boots, peketch, -- I need ye now, --
Sold to a Lemberg Jew!
In single vest, on Ashley Heath,
My shrinking heart is cold as death,
And fingers ghastly blue!





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net