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University of Virginia Library

Poems

By Edward Dowden

Dowden, Edward (1843-1913)

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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

“LA RÉVÉLATION PAR LE DÉSERT”

THE MORNING STAR

A CHILD'S NOONDAY SLEEP

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I.

II.

III.

III. AN INTERIOR

IV.

V.

V. A SUMMER MOON

VI.

VII.

VII. EARLY AUTUMN

VIII.

VIII. LATER AUTUMN

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I.

I. THE ASSUMPTION

II.

II. THE ARTIST'S WAITING

III.

III. COUNSELLORS

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VII. NEWS FOR LONDON

AMONG THE ROCKS

A SONG OF THE NEW DAY

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MEMORIALS OF TRAVEL

I.

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.

VIII.

VIII. ON THE PIER OF BOULOGNE

IX.

IN THE TWILIGHT

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I.

II.

III.

III. SEEKING GOD

IV.

IV. DARWINISM IN MORALS

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

VIII. A SONNET FOR THE TIMES

IX.

X.

XI.

XI. DELIVERANCE

XII.

XII. PARADISE LOST

THE RESTING PLACE

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NEW HYMNS FOR SOLITUDE

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

IN THE CATHEDRAL CLOSE

THE SECRET OF THE UNIVERSE:

BEAU RIVAGE HOTEL

IN A JUNE NIGHT

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FROM APRIL TO OCTOBER

I.

II.

II TWO INFINITIES

III.

IV.

IV. THE SKYLARK

V.

V. THE MILL-RACE

VI.

VI. IN THE WOOD

VII.

VII. THE PAUSE OF EVENING

VIII.

IX.

IX. IN SEPTEMBER

X.

X. IN THE WINDOW

XI.

XI. AN AUTUMN MORNING

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ABOARD THE “SEA-SWALLOW”

IN THE MOUNTAINS

“THE TOP OF A HILL CALLED CLEAR”

SPEAKERS TO GOD

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MISCELLANEOUS SONNETS

A DAY OF DEFECTION

SONG AND SILENCE

MICHELANGELESQUE

TO A CHILD DEAD AS SOON AS BORN

WISE PASSIVENESS

THE SINGER'S PLEA

PROMETHEUS UNBOUND

THE MODERN ELIJAH

DAVID AND MICHAL

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I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

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MISCELLANEOUS POEMS OF LATER DATES

THE DIVINING ROD

WHERE WERT THOU?

WINTER NOONTIDE

THE DESIRE TO GIVE

A BEECH-TREE IN WINTER

DÜRER'S “MELENCHOLIA”

MILLET'S “THE SOWER”

AT MULLION (CORNWALL)

THE WINNOWER TO THE WINDS

SENT TO AN AMERICAN SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY

PARADISE LOST AND FOUND

AFTER METASTASIO

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I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

IN THE CATHEDRAL

EDGAR ALLAN POE

DEUS ABSCONDITUS

FLOWERS FROM THE SOUTH OF FRANCE

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”

THE DROPS OF NECTAR. 1789

AMOR AS LANDSCAPE-PAINTER

IMITATED FROM GOETHE'S “ALEXIS AND DORA”

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22

A CHILD'S NOONDAY SLEEP

Because you sleep, my child, with breathing light
As heave of the June sea,
Because your lips soft petals dewy-bright
Dispart so tenderly;

Because the slumbrous warmth is on your cheek
Up from the hushed heart sent,
And in this midmost noon when winds are weak
No cloud lies more content;

Because nor song of bird, nor lamb's keen call
May reach you sunken deep,
Because your lifted arm I thus let fall
Heavy with perfect sleep;

Because all will is drawn from you, all power,
And Nature through dark roots
Will hold and nourish you for one sweet hour
Amid her flowers and fruits;

Therefore though tempests gather, and the gale
Through autumn skies will roar,
Though Earth send up to heaven the ancient wail
Heard by dead Gods of yore;

23

Though spectral faiths contend, and for her course
The soul confused must try,
While through the whirl of atoms and of force
Looms an abandoned sky;

Yet, know I, Peace abides, of earth's wild things
Centre, and ruling thence;
Behold, a spirit folds her budded wings
In confident innocence.