 | Sonnets by the Rev. Charles Turner [i.e. Charles Tennyson] |  |
67
THE PROCESS OF COMPOSITION.
An Illustration.
Oft in our fancy an uncertain thoughtHangs colourless, like dew on bents of grass,
Before the morning o'er the field doth pass;
But soon it glows and brightens; all unsought
A sudden glory flashes thro' the dream,
Our purpose deepens and our wit grows brave,
The thronging hints a richer utterance crave,
And tongues of fire approach the new-won theme;
A subtler process now begins—a claim
Is urged for order, a well-balanced scheme
Of words and numbers, a consistent aim;
The dew dissolves before the warming beam;
But that fair thought consolidates its flame,
And keeps its colours, hardening to a gem.
| Sonnets by the Rev. Charles Turner [i.e. Charles Tennyson] | |