Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE POET IN THE EAST, by BAYARD TAYLOR Poet's Biography First Line: The poet came to the land of the east Last Line: And the dream deceives no more. Alternate Author Name(s): Taylor, James Bayard Subject(s): Dreams; Poetry & Poets; Soul; Sun; Nightmares | ||||||||
THE Poet came to the Land of the East, When spring was in the air: The Earth was dressed for a wedding feast, So young she seemed, and fair; And the Poet knew the Land of the East, -- His soul was native there. All things to him were the visible forms Of early and precious dreams, -- Familiar visions that mocked his quest Beside the Western streams, Or gleamed in the gold of the clouds, unrolled In the sunset's dying beams. He looked above in the cloudless calm, And the Sun sat on his throne; The breath of gardens, deep in balm, Was all about him blown, And a brother to him was the princely Palm, For he cannot live alone. His feet went forth on the myrtled hills, And the flowers their welcome shed; The meads of milk-white asphodel They knew the Poet's tread, And far and wide, in a scarlet tide, The poppy's bonfire spread. And, half in shade and half in sun, The Rose sat in her bower, With a passionate thrill in her crimson heart -- She had waited for the hour! And, like a bride's, the Poet kissed The lips of the glorious flower. Then the Nightingale, who sat above In the boughs of the citron-tree, Sang : We are no rivals, brother mine, Except in minstrelsy; For the rose you kissed with the kiss of love, She is faithful still to me. And further sang the Nightingale: Your bower not distant lies. I heard the sound of a Persian lute From the jasmined window rise, And, twin-bright stars, through the lattice-bars, I saw the Sultana's eyes. The Poet said: I will here abide, In the Sun's unclouded door; Here are the wells of all delight, On the lost Arcadian shore: Here is the light on sea and land, And the dream deceives no more. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...VARIATIONS: 14 by CONRAD AIKEN VARIATIONS: 18 by CONRAD AIKEN LIVE IT THROUGH by DAVID IGNATOW A DREAM OF GAMES by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN THE DREAM OF WAKING by RANDALL JARRELL APOLOGY FOR BAD DREAMS by ROBINSON JEFFERS GIVE YOUR WISH LIGHT by ROBINSON JEFFERS BEDOUIN [LOVE] SONG by BAYARD TAYLOR NATIONAL ODE; INDEPENDENCE SQUARE, PHILADELPHIA by BAYARD TAYLOR |
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