Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE HUMMING OF THE WIRES, by EDWARD AUGUSTIUS RAND


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE HUMMING OF THE WIRES, by                    
First Line: Over the telegraph wires
Last Line: And with church-bells far away.
Subject(s): Telegraph; Telegrams


OVER the telegraph wires
The wild winds sweep to-day,
And I catch a musical humming
As of harpers at their play, --
As of distant bells slow ringing
At the dying of the day.

Many the messages shooting
Along the slender line,
And it seems as if every message
Must have left some voice behind, --
Must have set the bells to swinging,
That I hear in silvery chime.

Tidings of death are they sending?
So hushed the sad refrain!
Now it quickens, merrily quickens,
And it peals a blither strain!
Of its joy some heart is telling,
Ring, O bells, glad bells, again!

Here by the track I am asking,
These varying sounds so blend,
Whether God, who wills for his children
All events toward good shall tend,
May not hear our joys and sorrows
In like harmony ascend.

Over the marsh by the railroad
The wild winds sweep to-day,
And they touch the telegraph wires,
And a strange, weird tune they play,
Till the air is sweet with harpings,
And with church-bells far away.





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