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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


JOHN JONES: 2. BY THE CLIFF by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE

Poet Analysis

First Line: IS IT DAYTIME (GUESS
Last Line: SHUT THE BOOK.
Subject(s): DAY; SOUL;

I.

Is it daytime (guess),
You that feed my soul
To excess
With that light in those eyes
And those curls drawn like a scroll
In that round grave guise?
No or yes?

II.

Oh, the end, I'd say!
Such a foolish thing
(Pure girls' play!)
As a mere mute heart,
Was it worth a kiss, a ring,
This? for two must part --
Not to-day.

III.

Look, the whole sand crawls,
Hums, a heaving hive,
Scrapes and scrawls --
Such a buzz and burst!
Here just one thing's not alive,
One that was at first --
But life palls.

IV.

Yes, my heart, I know,
Just my heart's stone dead --
Yes, just so.
Sick with heat, those worms
Drop down scorched and overfed --
No more need of germs!
Let them go.

V.

Yes, but you now, look,
You, the rouged stage female
With a crook,
Chalked Arcadian sham,
You that made my soul's sleep's dream ail --
Your soul fit to damn?
Shut the book.



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