Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, REMEMBRANCE, by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

REMEMBRANCE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Swifter far than summer's flight
Last Line: Waste one hope, one fear for me.
Variant Title(s): Lament


I

SWIFTER far than summer's flight,
Swifter far than youth's delight,
Swifter far than happy night,
Art thou come and gone.
As the wood when leaves are shed,
As the night when sleep is fled,
As the heart when joy is dead,
I am left lone, alone.

II

The swallow summer comes again,
The owlet night resumes his reign,
But the wild swan youth is fain
To fly with thee, false as thou.
My heart each day desires the morrow;
Sleep itself is turned to sorrow;
Vainly would my winter borrow
Sunny leaves from any bough.

III

Lilies for a bridal bed,
Roses for a matron's head,
Violets for a maiden dead --
Pansies let my flowers be;
On the living grave I bear,
Scatter them without a tear --
Let no friend, however dear,
Waste one hope, one fear for me.








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