Classic and Contemporary Poetry
LOVE AT EVENING, by JAMES GATES PERCIVAL Poet's Biography First Line: It was the hour of moonlight, and the bells Last Line: Steal silently unto their hallowed rest. Subject(s): Evening; Love; Sunset; Twilight | ||||||||
IT was the hour of moonlight -- and the bells Had rung their curfew tones, and they were still; The echo died around the distant hill, Accordant with the fitful wind, that blew Over the new mown meadow, where the dew Stood twinkling on the closely shaven stems, Glittering as 'twere a carpet sown with gems; And from the winding river there arose A mist, that curled in volumed folds, and gave A snowy mantle to the stealing wave, Like that which fancy, love-enchanted throws Over the form it doats on with a feeling Of most endeared fondness, blind to all, That is not light and loveliness, concealing The tints of weakness with a darkest pall: And as the moon descending on the cloud, Gives it a rainbow livery, and hues All softness and all beauty, so imbues The fond eye of affection with all charms The image of its awe: and he is proud, Aye, prouder than the proudest, when his arms Around that form of loveliness are flung, And when those melting eyes are on him hung, And when those lips are moving in sweet tones, That tell, whate'er the words be, that she owns No other for her love -- and then the sigh Struggles within her bosom, and her eye Is wet with rising tears, and then the smile Plays sweetly on her parting lips awhile, And then she hangs upon his arm, and tells, Her heart how happy -- and that fond heart swells To give its feelings utterance, and she sings Sweetly, as when the lark at morning springs From out a dewy thicket, and away Winnows his easy flight to meet the day; And thus their eyes are blended, and they gaze A moment on each other, and then turn To where the countless fires of ether burn, And look from Heaven with soft and soothing rays; A moment with uplifted brow they pour The swelling current of devotion o'er, And then descending from that upward flight, Again their eyes in tender looks unite, Again they speak in under tones, as still As are the winds that rustle on the hill, Then side by side in links of fondness prest Steal silently unto their hallowed rest. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...JOURNEY INTO THE EYE by DAVID LEHMAN FEBRUARY EVENING IN NEW YORK by DENISE LEVERTOV THE HOUSE OF DUST: 1 by CONRAD AIKEN TWILIGHT COMES by HAYDEN CARRUTH IN THE EVENINGS by LUCILLE CLIFTON NINETEEN FORTY by NORMAN DUBIE THE CORAL GROVE by JAMES GATES PERCIVAL |
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