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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE PASSING BELL AT STRATFORD, by WILLIAM WINTER Poet's Biography First Line: Sweet bell of stratford, tolling slow Last Line: The path whereon his footsteps go. Subject(s): Bells | |||
(IT IS A TRADITION IN STRATFORD-UPON-AVON THAT THE BELL OF THE GUILD CHAPEL WAS TOLLED AT THE DEATH AND FUNERAL OF SHAKESPEARE) SWEET bell of Stratford, tolling slow, In summer gloaming's golden glow, I hear and feel thy voice divine, And all my soul responds to thine. As now I hear thee, even so, My Shakespeare heard thee long ago, When lone by Avon's pensive stream He wandered, in his haunted dream: Heard thee -- and far his fancy sped Through spectral caverns of the dead, And strove -- and strove in vain -- to pierce The secret of the universe. As now thou mournest didst thou mourn On that sad day when he was borne Through the green aisle of honied limes, To rest beneath the chambered chimes. He heard thee not, nor cared to hear! Another voice was in his ear, And, freed from all the bonds of men, He knew the awful secret then. Sweet bell of Stratford, toll, and be A sacred promise unto me Of that great hour when I shall know The path whereon his footsteps go. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF: 3. FEEDING THE RABBITS by LAURE-ANNE BOSSELAAR THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF: 4. THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG by LAURE-ANNE BOSSELAAR THE HOURS; FOR INGRID ERHARDT, 1951-1971 by NORMAN DUBIE SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: J. MILTON MILES by EDGAR LEE MASTERS THE SPIRE CRANES by DYLAN THOMAS KING DAVID by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET VICTORY BELLS by GRACE HAZARD CONKLING THE BELL by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES |
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