Classic and Contemporary Poetry
LIMITATIONS, by MARCUS S. C. RICKARDS First Line: Thou cravest sympathy yet never think Last Line: How much I dwarfed and wronged thy nature here below! Subject(s): Earth; Hope; Sympathy; Truth; World; Optimism; Empathy | ||||||||
THOU cravest sympathy? Yet never think It wafts us past the brink Of the dark gulf that parts The mysteries of even wedded hearts: Love's utter spell no potency imparts That solemn deep to bridge, And can but guide the spirit to its border ridge. And there they peer at vision's utmost bourn, Two baffled souls forlorn, Each on opposing height, No Pisgah with the Promised Land in sight, But shrouded in the mists of hopeless Night, Till sadly they retreat Back to the sunny realm where thoughts and feelings meet. For there at least awaits them the sweet boon Of shadowless commune: There each can think and say, And both shall mingle in divinest play, For naught is dim, since all is golden Day. Fair hope! yet is it so? We who have lingered longest sadly murmur "No." Perchance 'mid lonely acres may be found One rood of common ground, One happy trysting place Where hot emotions rushing in embrace To fondly mingle for a little space: And Earth has naught of bliss Compared with what is born of interflow like this. But back too soon upon the lonely plain We seek to blend, in vain; And things that flame one breast Chill like spent embers fallen from the rest: Few glowing thoughts and fancies when confessed Meet with responsive fire; So private is the vision, the creation, the desire! So secret too the joy, the grief, the hope, That Truth scarce finds due scope For play! We talk and smile Yet feel we skate on thinnest ice the while: Anon the plunge -- and rescued hearts beguile The hour that promised fair For weighty fond converse, with trifles light as air. We reason oft, we wage a war of words, That shames the strife of birds Who on sad autumn eves Hold shrill discussion 'mid the fading leaves; But do we argue for what each believes? Nay; rampant 'mid the tide Of repartee are vanity, self-love and pride. And there are things whereof the shy heart dreams, Unutterable themes, Shunned skilfully by each Amid the eddying babble of that stream of speech, Like half-hid boulders in a brooklet's reach Round which the waters swirl A moment, to flow blithely on in silvery purl. And will it ever be, my wistful Friend, That ampler sense shall lend Our spirits insight true To pierce each other's being thro' and thro'? I doubt not then that to my ravished view Undreamt of wealth will show How much I dwarfed and wronged thy nature here below! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SYMPATHY by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON WORDS TO JOE CERAVOLO by RON PADGETT SYMPATHY (2) by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR SYMPATHY by HENRY DAVID THOREAU MISPLACED SYMPATHY by CHARLES FOLLEN ADAMS QUATORZAINS: 10. TO POESY by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES A DREAM OF PERFECTION by MARCUS S. C. RICKARDS |
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