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The collected poems of William Ellery Channing the younger, 1817-1901

Channing, William Ellery (1817-1901)

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UNCOLLECTED POEMS
  
WILLINGNESS.
  
TORMENTS.
  
THEME FOR A WORLD-DRAMA.
  
SONG.
  
PRAYER.
  
AFTER-LIFE.
  
TO SHAKSPEARE.
  
THE POET.
  
LIFE.
  
[Sweet Love, I cannot show thee in this guise]
  
SPRING.
  
THE SONG OF BIRDS IN SPRING.
  
AN OLD MAN.
  
AUTUMN.
  
THE MOTHER'S GRIEF.
  
ALLSTON'S FUNERAL.
  
TO THE MUSE.
  
WILLIAM TELL'S SONG.
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THE FATAL PASSION,—A DRAMATIC SKETCH.
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ACT I.
 1. 
—Scene I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
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ACT II.
 1. 
Scene I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
  
TO READERS.
  
THE DEATH OF SHELLEY.
  
A SONG OF THE SEA.
  
SONNET.
  
CHRISTIAN SONG OF THE MIDDLE AGES.
  
THE FUTURE.
  
SOLDIERS' GRAVES.
  
TO MY WIFE
  
TO HESTER.
  
THE RETREATING ARMY.
  
TO THE READER.
  
THE CAMPAGNA.
  
THE AMERICAN SLAVE TO KOSSUTH.
  
TO KOSSUTH.
  
THE BLUEBERRY SWAMP.
  
O golden green
  
LASHED TO THE MAST.
  
Homeward.
  
DEDICATION.
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MEMORIAL VERSES
 1. 
I TO HENRY
 2. 
II WHITE POND
 3. 
III A LAMENT
 4. 
IV MORRICE LAKE
 5. 
V TEARS IN SPRING
 6. 
VI THE MILL BROOK
 7. 
VII STILLRIVER, THE WINTER WALK
 8. 
VIII TRURO
  
THE HILLSIDE COT.
  
FLIGHT OF THE WILD GEESE.
  
THE SHOWS OF NATURE.
  
Original Hymn.
  
CHILDREN'S SONG.
  
EDITH
  
TO MARJORIE—DREAMING
  
THE BYFIELD HILLS
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SUNDAY POEM
 1. 
I
 2. 
II
 3. 
III
 4. 
IV
 5. 
V
 6. 
VI
 7. 
VII
 8. 
VIII
 9. 
IX
  
A SONNET TO JOYCE HETH, CENTENARIAN
  
CHARACTERS
  
THE CONTRAST
  
NATURE
  
THE SLEEPING CHILD
(WALDO EMERSON, DEAD)
  
ENGLAND, IN AFFLICTION
  
THE BEGGAR'S WISH
  
THE POET
  
ALCOTT
  
UNFAITHFUL FRIENDSHIP
  
THE POET'S DEJECTION
  
MURILLO'S MAGDALEN
  
SLEEPY HOLLOW
  
THE NEW ENGLAND FARM-HOUSE
  
TRURO, ON CAPE COD
  
TRURO
  
JULIA
  
GRACE
  
MADELINE
  
CONSTANTIA
  
EMERSON
  
ROSALBA
  
A HOUSEHOLD FRIEND
  
SYBILLA
  
EPITHALAMIUM
  
MEMORIES OF FANNY MCGREGOR
  
THE LATE-FOUND FRIEND
  
THE SAGE
(EMERSON)
  
WELCOME TO THEE NOT GONE
  
PRIMAVERA, THE BREATH OF SPRING

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MURILLO'S MAGDALEN

Her eyes are fixed; they seek the skies.
Was earth so low? Was life so vain?
Was Time such weary sacrifice?
This hopeless task, this eating pain?
Smooth, smooth the tresses of thy hair;
Release that cold, contracted brow!
I have not lived without despair;
Look down on me—some mercy show!
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I cannot bear those silent skies;
The weight is pressing in my heart;
Life is eternal sacrifice,
The livelong hour, the selfish smart.
I wake to tears, in tears I close
The weary eyes so fixed above;
I cannot see the skies of rose,
My heavy tresses will not move.
Hope cannot heal my breaking heart,
Heaven will not lift my dread despair;
I need another soul to part
These brows of steel and join in prayer.
Sails there no bark on life's wild sea
That bears a soul whose faith has set,
Who may renew my light in me,
And both shall thus the past forget?
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