Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SONG OF THE RIVER, by ABRAM JOSEPH RYAN Poet's Biography First Line: A river went singing adown to the sea Last Line: "that blends in one chord the 'forever and never'." Subject(s): Rivers | ||||||||
A river went singing adown to the sea, A-singing -- low -- singing -- And the dim rippling river said softly to me, "I'm bringing, a-bringing -- While floating along -- A beautiful song To the shores that are white where the waves are so weary, To the beach that is burdened with wrecks that are dreary. A song sweet and calm As the peacefulest psalm; And the shore that was sad Will be grateful and glad, And the weariest wave from its dreariest dream Will wake to the sound of the song of the stream; And the tempests shall cease And there shall be peace." From the fairest of fountains, And farthest of mountains, From the stillness of snow Came the stream in its flow. Down the slopes where the rocks are gray, Thro' the vales where the flowers are fair -- Where the sunlight flashed -- where the shadows lay Like stories that cloud a face of care, The river ran on -- and on -- and on -- Day and night, and night and day; Going and going, and never gone, Longing to flow to the "far away", Staying and staying, and never still; Going and staying, as if one will Said, "Beautiful river, go to the sea;" And another will whispered, "Stay with me:" And the river made answer, soft and low -- "I go and stay" -- "I stay and go." But what is the song, I said, at last? To the passing river that never passed; And a white, white wave whispered, "List to me, I'm a note in the song for the beautiful sea, -- A song whose grand accents no earth-din may sever, And the river flows on in the same mystic key That blends in one chord the 'forever and never'." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...RIVERS INTO SEAS by LYNDA HULL TO A WOMAN GLANCING UP FROM THE RIVER by LARRY LEVIS TWO-RIVER LEDGER by KHALED MATTAWA HE FINDS THE MANSION by JAMES MCMICHAEL THE RIVERS by CLARIBEL ALEGRIA VERMILION FLYCATCHER, SAN PEDRO RIVER, ARIZONA by MARGARET ATWOOD THE PORCH OVER THE RIVER by WENDELL BERRY THE RIVER BRIDGED AND FORGOT by WENDELL BERRY SENTINEL SONGS: 1 by ABRAM JOSEPH RYAN |
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