@3A bomb has fallen over Notre Dame: Germans have burned another Belgian town: Russians quelled in the east: England in qualm:@1 I closed my eyes, and laid the paper down. Gray ledge and moor-grass and pale bloom of light By pale blue seas! What laughter of a child world-sprite, Sweet as the horns of lone October bees, Shrills the faint shore with mellow, old delight? What elves are these In smocks gray-blue as sea and ledge, Dancing upon the silvered edge Of darkness — each ecstatic one Making a happy orison, With shining limbs, to the low-sunken sun? — See: now they cease Like nesting birds from flight: Demure and debonair They troop beside their hostess' chair To make their bedtime courtesies: @3"Spokoinoi notchi! — Gute Nacht! Bon soir! Bon soir! — Good night!@1" What far-gleaned lives are these Linked in one holy family of art? — Dreams: dreams once Christ and Plato dreamed: How fair their happy shades depart! Dear God! how simple it all seemed, Till once again Before my eyes the red type quivered: @3Slain: Ten thousand of the enemy@1. — Then laughter! laughter from the ancient sea Sang in the gloaming: @3Athens! Galilee!@1 And elfin voices called from the extinguished light: — @3"Spokoinoi notchi! — Gute Nacht! Bon soir! Bon soir! — Good night!@1" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...BINGEN ON THE RHINE by CAROLINE ELIZABETH SARAH SHERIDAN NORTON THOMAS HOOD by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON STELLA'S BIRTHDAY, 1720 by JONATHAN SWIFT SMOKE IN WINTER by HENRY DAVID THOREAU THE LAST NIGHT by GORDON BOTTOMLEY |