Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE PREGNANT COMMENT, by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE PREGNANT COMMENT, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Opening one day a book of mine
Last Line: Her precious comment, poet deep.
Subject(s): Poetry & Poets


OPENING one day a book of mine,
I absent, Hester found a line
Praised with a pencil-mark, and this
She left transfigured with a kiss.

When next upon the page I chance,
Like Poussin's nymphs my pulses dance,
And whirl my fancy where it sees
Pan piping 'neath Arcadian trees,
Whose leaves no winter-scenes rehearse,
Still young and glad as Homer's verse.
"What mean," I ask, "these sudden joys?
This feeling fresher than a boy's?
What makes this line, familiar long,
New as the first bird's April song?
I could, with sense illumined thus,
Clear doubtful texts in Æschylus!"

Laughing, one day she gave the key,
My riddle's open-sesame;
Then added, with a smile demure,
Whose downcast lids veiled triumph sure,
"If what I left there give you pain,
You — you — can take it off again;
'T was for my poet, not for him,
Your Doctor Donne there!"

Earth grew dim
And wavered in a golden mist,
As rose, not paper, leaves I kissed.
Donne, you forgive? I let you keep
Her precious comment, poet deep.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


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