Classic and Contemporary Poetry
FRAGMENT (2), by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Yes! All is past - swift time has fled away Last Line: Can shriek in horror to the tempest's roar.' | ||||||||
YES! all is past -- swift time has fled away, Yet its swell pauses on my sickening mind. How long will horror nerve this frame of clay? I'm dead, and lingers yet my soul behind. Oh! powerful fate, revoke thy deadly spell, And yet that may not ever, ever be, Heaven will not smile upon the work of hell; Ah! no, for heaven cannot smile on me; Fate, envious fate, has sealed my wayward destiny. I sought the cold brink of the midnight surge; I sighed beneath its wave to hide my woes; The rising tempest sung a funeral dirge, And on the blast a frightful yell arose. Wild flew the meteors o'er the maddened main, Wilder did grief athwart my bosom glare; Stilled was the unearthly howling, and a strain Swelled 'mid the tumult of the battling air, 'T was like a spirit's song, but yet more soft and fair. I met a maniac -- like he was to me; I said -- 'Poor victim, wherefore dost thou roam? And canst thou not contend with agony, That thus at midnight thou dost quit thine home?' 'Ah, there she sleeps: cold is her bloodless form, And I will go to slumber in her grave; And then our ghosts, whilst raves the maddened storm, Will sweep at midnight o'er the wildered wave; Wilt thou our lowly beds with tears of pity lave?' 'Ah! no, I cannot shed the pitying tear, This breast is cold, this heart can feel no more; But I can rest me on thy chilling bier, Can shriek in horror to the tempest's roar.' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ADONAIS; AN ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF JOHN KEATS by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY ALASTOR; OR, THE SPIRIT OF SOLITUDE by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY AUTUMN: A DIRGE by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY ENGLAND IN 1819 by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY EPIPSYCHIDION by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY FEELINGS OF A REPUBLICAN ON THE FALL OF BONAPARTE by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY HYMN OF PAN by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY HYMN TO INTELLECTUAL BEAUTY by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY LINES WRITTEN ON HEARING THE NEWS OF THE DEATH OF NAPOLEON by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY LOVE'S PHILOSOPHY by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY MONT BLANC; LINES WRITTEN IN THE VALE OF CHAMOUNI by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY |
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