Classic and Contemporary Poetry
WHILE THE MUSICIAN PLAYED, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: O it was but a dream I had Last Line: That voyaged with the crew. Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F. Variant Title(s): A Dream (2) Subject(s): Dreams; Sea; Nightmares; Ocean | ||||||||
O it was but a dream I had While the musicians played! And here the sky, and here the glad Old ocean kissed the glade; And here the laughing ripples ran, And here the roses grew That threw a kiss to every man That voyaged with the crew. Our silken sails in lazy folds Drooped in the breathless breeze: As o'er a field of marigolds Our eyes swam o'er the seas; While here the eddies lisped and purled Around the island's rim, And up from out the underworld We saw the mermen swim. And it was dawn and middle-day And midnight - for the moon On silver rounds across the bay Had climbed the skies of June, -- And there the glowing, glorious king Of day ruled o'er his realm, With stars of midnight glittering About his diadem. The sea-gull reeled on languid wing In circles round the mast, We heard the songs the sirens sing As we went sailing past; And up and down the golden sands A thousand fairy throngs Flung at us from their flashing hands The echoes of their songs. O it was but a dream I had While the musician played! For here the sky, and here the glad Old ocean kissed the glade; And here the laughing ripples ran, And here the roses grew That threw a kiss to every man That voyaged with the crew. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HALL OF OCEAN LIFE by JOHN HOLLANDER JULY FOURTH BY THE OCEAN by ROBINSON JEFFERS BOATS IN A FOG by ROBINSON JEFFERS CONTINENT'S END by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE FIGUREHEAD by LEONIE ADAMS A BOY'S MOTHER by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY |
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