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Poems

By Edward Dowden
Dowden, Edward (1843-1913)

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[section]
  
THE WANDERER
  
THE FOUNTAIN
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IN THE GALLERIES
 I. 
I. THE APOLLO BELVEDERE
 II. 
II. THE VENUS OF MELOS
 III. 
III. ANTINOUS CROWNED AS BACCHUS
 IV. 
IV. LEONARDO'S “MONNA LISA”
 V. 
V. ST LUKE PAINTING THE VIRGIN
  
ON THE HEIGHTS
  
“LA RÉVÉLATION PAR LE DÉSERT”
  
THE MORNING STAR
  
A CHILD'S NOONDAY SLEEP
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IN THE GARDEN
 I. 
I. THE GARDEN
 II. 
II. VISIONS
 III. 
III. AN INTERIOR
 IV. 
IV. THE SINGER
 V. 
V. A SUMMER MOON
 VI. 
VI. A PEACH
 VII. 
VII. EARLY AUTUMN
 VIII. 
VIII. LATER AUTUMN
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THE HEROINES
  
HELENA
  
ATALANTA
  
EUROPA
  
ANDROMEDA
  
EURYDICE
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BY THE SEA
 I. 
I. THE ASSUMPTION
 II. 
II. THE ARTIST'S WAITING
 III. 
III. COUNSELLORS
 IV. 
IV. EVENING
 V. 
V. JOY
 VI. 
VI. OCEAN
 VII. 
VII. NEWS FOR LONDON
  
AMONG THE ROCKS
  
TO A YEAR
  
A SONG OF THE NEW DAY
  
SWALLOWS
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MEMORIALS OF TRAVEL
 I. 
I. COACHING
 II. 
II. IN A MOUNTAIN PASS
 III. 
III. THE CASTLE
 IV. 
IV. Αισθητιχη φαντασια
 V. 
V. ON THE SEA-CLIFF
 VI. 
VI. ASCETIC NATURE
 VII. 
VII. RELICS
 VIII. 
VIII. ON THE PIER OF BOULOGNE
 IX. 
IX. DOVER
  
AN AUTUMN SONG
  
BURDENS
  
SONG
  
BY THE WINDOW
  
SUNSETS
  
OASIS
  
FOREIGN SPEECH
  
IN THE TWILIGHT
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THE INNER LIFE
 I. 
I. A DISCIPLE
 II. 
II. THEISTS
 III. 
III. SEEKING GOD
 IV. 
IV. DARWINISM IN MORALS
 V. 
V. AWAKENING
 VI. 
VI. FISHERS
 VII. 
VII. COMMUNION
 VIII. 
VIII. A SONNET FOR THE TIMES
 IX. 
IX. EMMAUSWARD
 X. 
X. A FAREWELL
 XI. 
XI. DELIVERANCE
 XII. 
XII. PARADISE LOST
  
THE RESTING PLACE
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NEW HYMNS FOR SOLITUDE
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V
 VI. 
VI.
  
IN THE CATHEDRAL CLOSE
  
FIRST LOVE
  
THE SECRET OF THE UNIVERSE:
  
BEAU RIVAGE HOTEL
  
IN A JUNE NIGHT
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FROM APRIL TO OCTOBER
 I. 
I. BEAUTY
 II. 
II TWO INFINITIES
 III. 
III. THE DAWN
 IV. 
IV. THE SKYLARK
 V. 
V. THE MILL-RACE
 VI. 
VI. IN THE WOOD
 VII. 
VII. THE PAUSE OF EVENING
 VIII. 
VIII. IN JULY
 IX. 
IX. IN SEPTEMBER
 X. 
X. IN THE WINDOW
 XI. 
XI. AN AUTUMN MORNING
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[subsection]
  
SEA VOICES
  
ABOARD THE “SEA-SWALLOW”
  
SEA-SIGHING
  
IN THE MOUNTAINS
  
“THE TOP OF A HILL CALLED CLEAR”
  
THE INITIATION
  
RENUNCIANTS
  
SPEAKERS TO GOD
  
POESIA
  
MUSICIANS
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MISCELLANEOUS SONNETS
  
A DAY OF DEFECTION
  
SONG AND SILENCE
  
LOVE-TOKENS
  
A DREAM
  
MICHELANGELESQUE
  
LIFE'S GAIN
  
COMPENSATION
  
TO A CHILD DEAD AS SOON AS BORN
  
BROTHER DEATH
  
THE MAGE
  
WISE PASSIVENESS
  
THE SINGER'S PLEA
  
THE TRESPASSER
  
RITUALISM
  
PROMETHEUS UNBOUND
  
KING MOB
  
THE MODERN ELIJAH
  
DAVID AND MICHAL
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WINDLE-STRAWS
 I. 
I
 II. 
II
 III. 
III
 IV. 
IV
 V. 
V
 VI. 
VI
 VII. 
VII
 VIII. 
VIII
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MISCELLANEOUS POEMS OF LATER DATES
  
AT THE OAR
  
THE DIVINING ROD
  
SALOME
  
WATERSHED
  
THE GUEST
  
MORITURUS
  
ALONE
  
FAME
  
WHERE WERT THOU?
  
A WISH
  
THE GIFT
  
RECOVERY
  
IF IT MIGHT BE
  
WINTER NOONTIDE
  
THE POOL
  
THE DESIRE TO GIVE
  
A BEECH-TREE IN WINTER
  
JUDGMENT
  
DÜRER'S “MELENCHOLIA”
  
MILLET'S “THE SOWER”
  
AT MULLION (CORNWALL)
  
THE WINNOWER TO THE WINDS
  
EMERSON
  
SENT TO AN AMERICAN SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY
  
NOCTURNE
  
THE WHIRLIGIG
  
PARADISE LOST AND FOUND
  
AFTER METASTASIO
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THE CORN-CRAKE
 I. 
I
 II. 
II
 III. 
III
 IV. 
IV
 V. 
V
  
IN THE CATHEDRAL
  
EDGAR ALLAN POE
  
DEUS ABSCONDITUS
  
SUBLIMINAL
  
LOUISA SHORE
  
FLOWERS FROM THE SOUTH OF FRANCE
  
TO HESTER
  
UNUTTERED
  
IMITATED FROM J. SOULARY'S “LE FOSSOYEUR”
  
IMITATED FROM GOETHE'S “GANYMEDE”
  
WITH A COPY OF MY “POEMS”
  
PROLOGUE TO MAURICE GEROTHWOHL'S VERSION OF VIGNY'S “CHATTERTON”
  
A SONG
  
THE DROPS OF NECTAR. 1789
  
AMOR AS LANDSCAPE-PAINTER
  
THE WANDERER
  
IMITATED FROM GOETHE'S “ALEXIS AND DORA”

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119

SEA VOICES

Was it a lullaby the Sea went singing
About my feet, some old-world monotone,
Filled full of secret memories, and bringing
Not hope to sting the heart, but peace alone,
Sleep and the certitude of sleep to be
Wiser henceforth than all philosophy?
Truth! did we seek for truth with eye and brain
Through days so many and wasted with desire?
Listen, the same long gulfing voice again:
Tired limbs lie slack as sands are, eyes that tire
Close gently, close forever, twilight grey
Receives you, tenderer than the glaring day.
[He sleeps, and after an interval awakes.]
Ah terror, ah delight! A sudden cry,
Anguish, or hope, or triumph. Awake, arise,—
The winds awake! Is ocean's lullaby
This clarion-call? Her kiss, the spray that flies
Salt to the lip and cheek? Her motion light
Of nursing breasts, this swift pursuit and flight?
120

O wild sea-voices! Victory and defeat,
But ever deathless passion and unrest,
White wings upon the wind and flying feet,
Disdain and wrath, a reared and hissing crest,
The imperious urge, and last, a whole life spent
In bliss of one supreme abandonment.
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