Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE THREE GIPSIES, by NIKOLAUS FRANZ NIEMBSCH VON STREGLENAU Poet's Biography First Line: Three gipsy men I saw one day Last Line: Their loose hair black and curly. Alternate Author Name(s): Lenau, Nikolaus Subject(s): Gypsies; Gipsies | ||||||||
THREE gipsy men I saw one day Stretched out on the grass together, As wearily o'er the sandy way My wagon brushed the heather. The first of the three was fiddling there In the glow of evening pallid, Playing a wild and passionate air, The tune of some gipsy ballad. From the second's pipe the smoke-wreaths curled, He watched them melt at his leisure. So full of content, it seemed the world Had naught to add to his pleasure. And what of the third?He was fast asleep, His harp to a bough confided; The breezes across the strings did sweep, A dream o'er his heart-strings glided. The garb of all was worn and frayed, With tatters grotesquely mended; But flouting the world, and undismayed, The three with fate contended. They showed me how, by three-fold scoff, When cares of life perplex us, To smoke, or sleep, or fiddle them off, And scorn the ills that vex us. I passed them, but my gaze for long Dwelt on the trio surly Their dark bronze features sharp and strong, Their loose hair black and curly. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE ASSIMILATION OF THE GYPSIES by LARRY LEVIS THE SCHOLAR GIPSY by MATTHEW ARNOLD THE GYPSY by PHILIP EDWARD THOMAS TO A GIPSY CHILD BY THE SEA-SHORE by MATTHEW ARNOLD THE GYPSIES [OR, GIPSIES] by HENRY HOWARTH BASHFORD MARSH SONG by NIKOLAUS FRANZ NIEMBSCH VON STREGLENAU |
|