Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE SHOWER, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE SHOWER, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: The landscape, like the awed face of a child
Last Line: Drenched with the love of god.
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Nature; Rain; Soul; Storms


THE landscape, like the awed face of a child
Grew curiously blurred; a hush of death
Fell on the fields, and in the darkened wild
The zephyr held its breath.

No wavering glamour-work of light and shade
Dappled the shivering surface of the brook;
The frightened ripples in their ambuscade
Of willows trilled and shook.

The sullen day grew darker, and anon
Dim flashes of pent anger lit the sky;
With rumbling wheels of wrath came rolling on
the storm's artillery.

The cloud above put on its blackest frown,
And then, as with a vengeful cry of pain,
The lightning snatched it, ripped and flung it down
In raveled shreds of rain:

While I, transfigured by some wondrous art,
Bowed with the thirsty lilies to the sod,
My empty soul brimmed over, and my heart
Drenched with the love of God.





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