The early poems of John Clare 1804-1822: General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger |
 | I. |
|
|
| a. |
| b. |
| a. |
| b. |
| a. | MIDNIGHT (a)
|
| b. |
| II. |
|
| a. |
| b. |
| a. |
| b. |
| a. |
| b. |
| a. |
| b. |
| a. |
| b. |
 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
MIDNIGHT (a)
The day has clos'd its weary toils in bed
The clouds gloom sleeping on the mountains head
Nor noise nor sound is heard as hushd as dead
Silence most awful pause as on I tread
The wild wood Silently
The clouds gloom sleeping on the mountains head
Nor noise nor sound is heard as hushd as dead
Silence most awful pause as on I tread
The wild wood Silently
446
Awful indeed it is to wander now
As not a sound is heard but save as how
Silence is ruffl'd by the parting bough
Stilling agen more dread as past it now
It rests most silently
As not a sound is heard but save as how
Silence is ruffl'd by the parting bough
Stilling agen more dread as past it now
It rests most silently
Awful indeed it is in lonliest place
The forming dew drops melted birth to trace
As sauntering doubtful oer a fearful pace
Its misty moisture chillys on my face
Falling so silently
The forming dew drops melted birth to trace
As sauntering doubtful oer a fearful pace
Its misty moisture chillys on my face
Falling so silently
Midnight is deep indeed awfully deep
The world so busy once all lost asleep
Nor flies a bird nor inscet cares to creep
Ones thoughts their drowsy sabbath even keep
Musing so silently
The world so busy once all lost asleep
Nor flies a bird nor inscet cares to creep
Ones thoughts their drowsy sabbath even keep
Musing so silently
Awful indeed it is to think that I
In these deep woods & dark black dismal skye
Of all the world am left with unclosd eye
To tread the lonly wood & think & sigh
Creeping most silently
In these deep woods & dark black dismal skye
Of all the world am left with unclosd eye
To tread the lonly wood & think & sigh
Creeping most silently
Awful indeed it is to hear as now
A sudden rustle from the oaks dark bough
& night hawks shriek most terrible as how
It stills again & solemn longer now
I pause most silently
A sudden rustle from the oaks dark bough
& night hawks shriek most terrible as how
It stills again & solemn longer now
I pause most silently
Awful indeed it is to catch the sight
Of trav'lling glow worms with their lanthorn light
Twinkling its circling rings of glimmering light
Peeping upon the solemn gloom of night
Fearful & silently
Of trav'lling glow worms with their lanthorn light
Twinkling its circling rings of glimmering light
Peeping upon the solemn gloom of night
Fearful & silently
447
& awful ah most awfully it seems
As when the horrid owl deaths token screams
Stooping beneath some abby[s] massy beams
As thro the grated tower the moonshine gleams
On bones heapd silently
As when the horrid owl deaths token screams
Stooping beneath some abby[s] massy beams
As thro the grated tower the moonshine gleams
On bones heapd silently
Solemn it is the castles Tower to climb
Winding its stony steps around sublime
Clocks soloquising oer their ticking time
Swords rusting oer with many a hidden crime
Hung pondering silently
Winding its stony steps around sublime
Clocks soloquising oer their ticking time
Swords rusting oer with many a hidden crime
Hung pondering silently
How hushd the pause nights stopping breath detains
This night peace who can miniature that reigns
The stops that dozes in the forest grains
Then stills their qualms a night song ill explains
So rapt so silently
This night peace who can miniature that reigns
The stops that dozes in the forest grains
Then stills their qualms a night song ill explains
So rapt so silently
How deep the shades that cringes to the hill
The church bell strikes fear counts & shudders chill
& terrors highest pitch his fears instill
Listening he drops the twelve more loudly shrill
& gen stops silently
The church bell strikes fear counts & shudders chill
& terrors highest pitch his fears instill
Listening he drops the twelve more loudly shrill
& gen stops silently
Midnight! dread thing & can a word unfold
The glooms & shades the fearful eyes behold
We say ‘as nature sleeps’ & have we told
That dead suspence in nights black robes enroll'd
Hovering so silently
The glooms & shades the fearful eyes behold
We say ‘as nature sleeps’ & have we told
That dead suspence in nights black robes enroll'd
Hovering so silently
448
How solemn doubly solemn is the scene
Nights twelve when counted off—its intervene
Dead hour that dozes twelve & one between
No blank in chaos ere the world had been
Was lost more silently
Nights twelve when counted off—its intervene
Dead hour that dozes twelve & one between
No blank in chaos ere the world had been
Was lost more silently
While deepest night upon the ruins glower
& fear counts trembling on the midnight hour
That distant clocks soloquises oer
O terrors highest pitch who feels thy power
Of midnight Silently
& fear counts trembling on the midnight hour
That distant clocks soloquises oer
O terrors highest pitch who feels thy power
Of midnight Silently
| The early poems of John Clare | |