Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, WINTER, by BJARNI THORARENSEN


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

WINTER, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Who rides with such fury
Last Line: From the head of age.
Alternate Author Name(s): Bjarn
Subject(s): Winter


WHO rides with such fury
A fiery charger --
Through the high heavens
A horse snow-colored?
The mighty steed
From his mane tosses
Frozen flakes
That flutter earthward.

Glowing glitters
His gray armor;
On his shoulder there hangs
A shield ice-covered;
On his head he wears
The helm of terror --
The fearful Aegis'
Frosty helmet.

He comes from the hoary
Haunts of Midnight
Where the world force flows
From the well eternal;
Where restless seas
Roar in breakers
On shores without spring
And summer-less rocks.

He knows not of age
Though the oldest gods
Were his playmates ere
The earth was fashioned;
The last world will die
And desolation
Veil the suns
Ere his way is ended.

The strong are strengthened
When his step approaches;
The soft Earth grows firm
In his fierce embraces,
The tears she wept
Are turned to diamonds
And her mourning garb
To a mantle of ermine.

'TIS not truly said
That when summer approaches
Winter flees
To the frozen Northland:
He broods in the heavens
While humble spring
Leads summer in
Through sunlit meadows;

'Tis in his hands
The earth turns daily,
In his powerful grasp
The poles are twirling;
And he leaves,
E'en a little moment,
Naught of earth
That's near to heaven;

'Tis therefore we see
While summer lingers
The mountains still wear
The Winter's livery;
'Tis therefore we see
That summer melts not
Heaven's hoar-frost
From the head of age.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net