Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ALFRED NOYES, by FLORA ELEANOR WELLS


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ALFRED NOYES, by                    
First Line: The house was hushed to a whisper like the / sigh of a summer's breeze
Last Line: Yes, it bore a note of sadness, which wounds my heart and yours.
Subject(s): Noyes, Alfred (1880-1958)


I

THE house was hushed to a whisper like the sigh of a summer's breeze,
For a poet had come among us from across the troubled seas,
He brought a wondrous message from off the purple moors,
And England's voice was calling—
—Calling—Calling—
And England's voice was calling, to my heart and yours.

II

He'd a manly English forehead, a square cut English chin,
An English air about him, an English way to say "been;"
He spoke of the "clark" and his office—He'd a twinkle in his eye.
Humor and eyes that twinkle?
Yes, English eyes a-twinkle!
Humor and eyes a-twinkle? Your adage is awry!

III
As over his words he clattered, we rushed to a dark inn-yard,
We heard the tap on the shutters, of the house all locked and barred;
We heard the tune that was whistled to the maiden waiting there,
The landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
And we caught the fragrant perfume from her long black locks of hair.

IV

We heard tlot-tlot in the distance! The shot in the frosty night!
We almost smelled the smoke of it, and saw the flash of light.
We felt on our cheeks a moment, the cool of her last long breath,
The touch of the blood drenched fingers,
The clasp of the blood drenched fingers,
We felt on our breasts the fingers, and wept because of her death.

V

As we rode the electric tram, down the bustling street,
The barrel-organ's carrolling was wondrously sweet,
Then under the mighty waters Killmany plied her way,
But "nobudy-knew,"
No, "nobudy-knew,"
Where she had "been," we heard the poet say.

VI

In Sherwood just at twilight, as Robin Hood awoke,
He bought a bunch of violets for his lady's cloak,
Then in our ship of poet's dreams, behind us London lay,
We went to Kew in lilac-time,
In lilac-time, in lilac-time—
We went to Kew in lilac-time, it wasn't far away.

VII

His poems seemed to sing themselves, from out a soul inspired,
Beautiful, harmonious sounds, with mighty purpose fired.
He found God the beginning as he unraveled the threads of time,
And a cry for peace came ringing,
Ringing—ringing
A cry for peace came ringing, from the heart of his lovely rhyme.

VIII

Optimism, love, faith, and hope, all qualities which please,
You own them all, dear poet, from across the troubled seas;
Yet the message that you brought us, from off the purple moors,
Bore a note of sadness,
Sadness—sadness—
Yes, it bore a note of sadness, which wounds my heart and yours.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


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