Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PASSING AND PERMANENT, by JOHN LAWSON STODDARD Poet's Biography First Line: Stately boats, with happy crowds Last Line: Do not drain your glass! Subject(s): Boats; Gardens & Gardening; Grief; Sorrow; Sadness | ||||||||
Stately boats, with happy crowds, Passing up the lake, Leaving, under sunset clouds, Jewels in your wake, From my garden's sheltered strand I can watch you glide, As through some enchanted land On a silver tide. To your eyes, O joyous throng, All this scene is new; Like a burst of seraphs' song, Comes its matchless view; You have traversed land and sea For this wondrous sight, Which the gods vouchsafe to me Every day and night! One long, serial pageant this Of supreme content! Every face suffused with bliss, Every eye intent; Griefs and troubles slip away On this charming shore, And throughout a transient stay Will return no more. Yet beware! Gardens fair, Lake, and snow-capped crest For a while may banish care From the saddest breast; But it quickly, even here, Finds the heart again, With the old-time sigh and tear, And the well-known pain. Careless crew, I envy you! You will grieve to go, But, believe me, if you knew, You would choose it so; Leave the lake while still you laugh; Be content to pass; Though its wine be sweet to quaff, Do not drain your glass! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONOMA FIRE by JANE HIRSHFIELD AS THE SPARKS FLY UPWARDS by JOHN HOLLANDER WHAT GREAT GRIEF HAS MADE THE EMPRESS MUTE by JUNE JORDAN CHAMBER MUSIC: 19 by JAMES JOYCE DIRGE AT THE END OF THE WOODS by LEONIE ADAMS A MAY MONODY by JOHN LAWSON STODDARD |
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