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The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Volume 2Browning, Elizabeth Barrett

General

The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Volume 2

Name: The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Volume 2
Author: Browning, Elizabeth Barrett

Browning, Elizabeth Barrett

English poetry -- 19th century; Poetry, Modern -- 19th century

Memories--of fancy's golden
    Treasures which my hands have holden,
    Till the chillness made them ache;
    Of childhood's hopes that used to wake
    If birds were in a singing strain,
    And for less cause, sleep again;
    Of the moss-seat in the wood
    Where I trysted solitude;
    Of the hill-top where the wind
    Used to follow me behind,
    Then in sudden rush to blind
    Both my glad eyes with my hair,
    Taken gladly in the snare;
    Of the climbing up the rocks,
    Of the playing 'neath the oaks
    Which retain beneath them now
    Only shadow of the bough;
    Of the lying on the grass
    While the clouds did overpass,
    Only they, so lightly driven,
    Seeming betwixt me and Heaven;
    Of the little prayers serene,
    Murmuring of earth and sin;
    Of large-leaved philosophy
    Leaning from my childish knee;
    Of poetic book sublime,
    Soul-kissed for the first dear time,
    Greek or English, ere I knew
    Life was not a poem too:--
    Throw them in, by one and one!
    I must laugh, at rising sun.

       *       *       *       *       *

    --Of the glorious ambitions
    Yet unquenched by their fruitions
    Of the reading out the nights;
    Of the straining at mad heights;
    Of achievements, less descried
    By a dear few than magnified;
    Of praises from the many earned
    When praise from love was undiscerned;
    Of the sweet reflecting gladness
    Softened by itself to sadness:--
    Throw them in, by one and one!
    I must laugh, at rising sun.

       *       *       *       *       *

    What are these? more, more than these!
    Throw in dearer memories!--
    Of voices whereof but to speak
    Makes mine own all sunk and weak;
    Of smiles the thought of which is sweeping
    All my soul to floods of weeping;
    Of looks whose absence fain would weigh
    My looks to the ground for aye;
    Of clasping hands--ah me, I wring
    Mine, and in a tremble fling
    Downward, downward all this paining!
    Partings with the sting remaining,
    Meetings with a deeper throe
    Since the joy is ruined so,
    Changes with a fiery burning,
    (Shadows upon all the turning,)
    Thoughts of ... with a storm they came,
    _Them_ I have not breath to name:
    Downward, downward be they cast
    In the pit! and now at last
    My work beneath the moon is done,
    And I shall laugh, at rising sun.

       *       *       *       *       *

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Volume 2Browning, Elizabeth Barrett

General

The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Volume 2

Browning, Elizabeth Barrett

English poetry -- 19th century; Poetry, Modern -- 19th century

Memories--of fancy's golden
    Treasures which my hands have holden,
    Till the chillness made them ache;
    Of childhood's hopes that used to wake
    If birds were in a singing strain,
    And for less cause, sleep again;
    Of the moss-seat in the wood
    Where I trysted solitude;
    Of the hill-top where the wind
    Used to follow me behind,
    Then in sudden rush to blind
    Both my glad eyes with my hair,
    Taken gladly in the snare;
    Of the climbing up the rocks,
    Of the playing 'neath the oaks
    Which retain beneath them now
    Only shadow of the bough;
    Of the lying on the grass
    While the clouds did overpass,
    Only they, so lightly driven,
    Seeming betwixt me and Heaven;
    Of the little prayers serene,
    Murmuring of earth and sin;
    Of large-leaved philosophy
    Leaning from my childish knee;
    Of poetic book sublime,
    Soul-kissed for the first dear time,
    Greek or English, ere I knew
    Life was not a poem too:--
    Throw them in, by one and one!
    I must laugh, at rising sun.

       *       *       *       *       *

    --Of the glorious ambitions
    Yet unquenched by their fruitions
    Of the reading out the nights;
    Of the straining at mad heights;
    Of achievements, less descried
    By a dear few than magnified;
    Of praises from the many earned
    When praise from love was undiscerned;
    Of the sweet reflecting gladness
    Softened by itself to sadness:--
    Throw them in, by one and one!
    I must laugh, at rising sun.

       *       *       *       *       *

    What are these? more, more than these!
    Throw in dearer memories!--
    Of voices whereof but to speak
    Makes mine own all sunk and weak;
    Of smiles the thought of which is sweeping
    All my soul to floods of weeping;
    Of looks whose absence fain would weigh
    My looks to the ground for aye;
    Of clasping hands--ah me, I wring
    Mine, and in a tremble fling
    Downward, downward all this paining!
    Partings with the sting remaining,
    Meetings with a deeper throe
    Since the joy is ruined so,
    Changes with a fiery burning,
    (Shadows upon all the turning,)
    Thoughts of ... with a storm they came,
    _Them_ I have not breath to name:
    Downward, downward be they cast
    In the pit! and now at last
    My work beneath the moon is done,
    And I shall laugh, at rising sun.

       *       *       *       *       *

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Volume 2

The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Volume 2

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