Classic and Contemporary Poetry
NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS, by CHARLES R. MURPHY First Line: Here earth and sky and thudding hoofs of horses Last Line: Bringing its elder presence -- and closed eyes. Subject(s): Death; Life; Mountains; Dead, The; Hills; Downs (great Britain) | ||||||||
I Here earth and sky and thudding hoofs of horses And years, long gone, come together at last; And dead people ride high on mountain courses, Above the fields of tree-stumps and the vast Slow sinking of the night, toward the sun. These people had as long a day as any In this the land they loved; now one by one They have retreated with the more and many To the dark house of one remembering mind Whose light is but the shadow of new death, When thought shall turn away to leave behind, In night of exile, men who drew quick breath For mountain beauty and the sky that showed The dust of mica in the friendly road. II Be not afraid for any beating heart That ceased, years gone, in such a place as this, Be not afraid; or grieve that years depart Like downward water where no staying is; If lives are not exactly garnets strewn Upon the road, at least they did deny No right their matrix had to give them boon Of life (wherein each took as much of sky As flowers born of ruby blood may hold), And pasturage of beauty for their day, Where rooted trees and valleys and the old Majesty of distance showed them the way A heart may wait for the new night to rise Bringing its elder presence -- and closed eyes. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CALIFORNIA SORROW: MOUNTAIN VIEW by MARY KINZIE CONTRA MORTEM: THE MOUNTAIN FASTNESS by HAYDEN CARRUTH GREEN MOUNTAIN IDYL by HAYDEN CARRUTH IF IT WERE NOT FOR YOU by HAYDEN CARRUTH ALL THINGS FLOW by CHARLES R. MURPHY |
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