Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE RIVER RUNNING TO THE SEA, by JOHN LAURENCE RENTOUL


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE RIVER RUNNING TO THE SEA, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The river running to the sea
Last Line: To front the larger sea!
Alternate Author Name(s): Gage, Gervais
Subject(s): Rivers; Sea; Strength; Tides; Water; Ocean


I

THE river running to the sea
Bears tithe of hills along,
And babbles in its lissom glee
Its glad and wayward song.
And past the rock and o'er the stone
It speedeth on its way;
Athwart the glades the scent is blown
Of the new-winnowed hay.

II

The meadow and the meadow-sweet
Hum with the flitting bee;
From heaven there falleth to my feet
The lark's wild melody.
All blithe and vocal is the wold
And eloquent the air:
O heart, shall thus thy tale be told
And babbled here and there?

III

By widening wealth of holm and wood
The river winds along;
And greater and more still of mood
Its forces gather strong.
The rock is hidden in its tide
That now is calm and deep;
Beneath its hush of waters wide
The frets are lulled to sleep.

IV

And, O, the silence of its flow
As now it nears the sea;
How self-contained for joy or woe
Its massive might can be!
It beareth burthens on its breast
Not of its own to-day;
Its restless strength that seems at rest
No obstacles can stay.

V

O heart of mine, that leaps and sings
Beside the shallow stream,
And, in the rapture boyhood brings,
Dreams its own wayward dream,—
To babble to another's ear
The dreamings rash and vain,—
Grow deeper, stronger, year by year;
Within thyself contain
The energy of will and life
To bear whate'er may be,
The strength that gathers for the strife
To front the larger sea!





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