Chorus Hymeneal, Or triumphal chaunt, Matched with thine, would be all But an empty vaunt, A thing wherein we feel there is some hidden want. What objects are the fountains Of thy happy strain? What fields or waves or mountains? What shapes of sky or plain? What love of thine own kind? what ignorance of pain? With thy clear keen joyance Languor cannot be; Shadow of annoyance Never came near thee; Thou lovest--but ne'er knew love's sad satiety. Waking or asleep Thou of death must deem Things more true and deep Than we mortals dream-- Or how could thy notes flow in such a crystal stream? We look before and after, And pine for what is not; Our sincerest laughter With some pain is fraught; Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought. Yet if we could scorn Hate and pride and fear; If we were things born Not to shed a tear, I know not how thy joy we ever should come near. Better than all measures Of delightful sound, Better than all treasures That in books are found, Thy skill to poet were, thou scorner of the ground! Teach me half the gladness That thy brain must know, Such harmonious madness From my lips would flow, The world should listen then--as I am listening now. HELPS TO STUDY. Biographical and Historical: Percy Bysshe Shelley was born in 1792. He was an English poet who traveled much in Europe, and found Italy especially to his liking. His life was short and full of storm and stress, although he never allowed his personal sufferings to embitter his spirit. While only thirty, on a pleasure cruise off the coast of Italy, he was drowned. "To a Skylark" and "The Cloud" are rare poems because of their wonderful harmony of sound. The skylark is found in northern Europe. It is noted for its lofty flights and wonderful song. Note that Shelley, Wordsworth, and James Hogg have all written poems about the skylark. Notes and Questions. What country is the home of these poets? What does this fact suggest to you? Explain the simile in the fifth stanza. In the sixth. In the seventh stanza what two words are contrasted? Note the four comparisons--stanzas eight, nine, ten and eleven. Which do you like best? Why? In line 86 emphasize the first word and explain the stanza. In line 95 emphasize the fifth word and explain the stanza. In line 96 to end, what does Shelley say would be the result if a poet could feel such joy as the little bird seems to feel? If we had no dark days do you think we could appreciate the bright days? If we had no sadness could we appreciate the songs of gladness? If Shelley had never experienced sadness could he have written this beautiful poem of gladness?