Classic and Contemporary Poetry
REST AT EVENING, by ADELAIDE ANNE PROCTER Poet's Biography First Line: When the weariness of life is ended Last Line: O how poor a day to be so blest! Alternate Author Name(s): Berwick, Mary Subject(s): Evening; Grief; Life; Sunset; Twilight; Sorrow; Sadness | ||||||||
WHEN the weariness of Life is ended, And the task of our long day is done, And the props, on which our hearts depended, All have failed or broken, one by one; Evening and our Sorrow's shadow blended, Telling us that peace is now begun. How far back will seem the sun's first dawning, And those early mists so cold and gray! Half forgotten even the toil of morning, And the heat and burden of the day: Flowers that we were tending, and weeds scorning, All alike withered and cast away. Vain will seem the impatient heart, which waited Toils that gathered but too quickly round; And the childish joy, so soon elated At the path we thought none else had found: And the foolish ardor, soon abated By the storm which cast us to the ground. Vain those pauses on the road, each seeming As our final home and resting-place; And the leaving them, while tears were streaming Of eternal sorrow down our face; And the hands we held, fond folly dreaming That no future could their touch efface. All will then be faded: -- night will borrow Stars of light to crown our perfect rest; And the dim vague memory of faint sorrow Just remain to show us all was best, Then melt into a divine to-morrow: -- O how poor a day to be so blest! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONOMA FIRE by JANE HIRSHFIELD AS THE SPARKS FLY UPWARDS by JOHN HOLLANDER WHAT GREAT GRIEF HAS MADE THE EMPRESS MUTE by JUNE JORDAN CHAMBER MUSIC: 19 by JAMES JOYCE DIRGE AT THE END OF THE WOODS by LEONIE ADAMS A DOUBTING HEART by ADELAIDE ANNE PROCTER |
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