The Sun Was Slumbering in the West by Thomas Hood
The Sun Was Slumbering in the West by Thomas Hood The sun was slumbering in the West, My daily labors past; On Anna’s soft and gentle breast My head reclined at last; The darkness closed around, so dear To fond congenial souls, And thus she murmur’d at my ear, “My love, we’re out of coals! […]
The Song of the Shirt by Thomas Hood
The Song of the Shirt by Thomas Hood With fingers weary and worn, With eyelids heavy and red, A woman sat, in unwomanly rags, Plying her needle and thread– Stitch! stitch! stitch! In poverty, hunger, and dirt, And still with a voice of dolorous pitch She sang the “Song of the Shirt.” “Work! work! work! […]
The Haunted House by Thomas Hood
The Haunted House by Thomas Hood Oh, very gloomy is the house of woe, Where tears are falling while the bell is knelling, With all the dark solemnities that show That Death is in the dwelling! Oh, very, very dreary is the room Where Love, domestic Love, no longer nestles, But smitten by the common […]
The Dream of Eugene Aram by Thomas Hood
The Dream of Eugene Aram by Thomas Hood ‘Twas in the prime of summer-time An evening calm and cool, And four-and-twenty happy boys Came bounding out of school: There were some that ran and some that leapt, Like troutlets in a pool. Away they sped with gamesome minds, And souls untouched by sin; To a […]
The Death Bed by Thomas Hood
The Death Bed by Thomas Hood We watch’d her breathing thro’ the night, Her breathing soft and low, As in her breast the wave of life Kept heaving to and fro. But when the morn came dim and sad And chill with early showers, Her queit eyelids closed; she had Another morn than ours. ————— […]
The Bridge of Sighs by Thomas Hood
The Bridge of Sighs by Thomas Hood One more Unfortunate, Weary of breath, Rashly importunate, Gone to her death! Take her up tenderly, Lift her with care; Fashion’d so slenderly Young, and so fair! Look at her garments Clinging like cerements; Whilst the wave constantly Drips from her clothing; Take her up instantly, Loving, not […]
Silence by Thomas Hood
Silence by Thomas Hood There is a silence where hath been no sound, There is a silence where no sound may be, In the cold grave—under the deep, deep sea, Or in wide desert where no life is found, Which hath been mute, and still must sleep profound; No voice is hush’d—no life treads silently, […]
Ruth by Thomas Hood
Ruth by Thomas Hood She stood breast-high amid the corn, Clasp’d by the golden light of morn, Like the sweetheart of the sun, Who many a glowing kiss had won. On her cheek an autumn flush, Deeply ripen’d;—such a blush In the midst of brown was born, Like red poppies grown with corn. Round her […]
Past and Present by Thomas Hood
Past and Present by Thomas Hood I remember, I remember The house where I was born, The little window where the sun Came peeping in at morn; He never came a wink too soon Nor bought too long a day; But now, I often wish the night Had borne my breath away. I remember, I […]
On Mistress Nicely, a Pattern for Housekeepers by Thomas Hood
On Mistress Nicely, a Pattern for Housekeepers by Thomas Hood She was a woman peerless in her station, With household virtues wedded to her name; Spotless in linen, grass-bleached in her fame; And pure and clear-starched in her conversation; Thence in my Castle of Imagination She dwells for evermore, the dainty dame, To keep all […]
November by Thomas Hood
November by Thomas Hood No sun; no moon! No morn; no noon; No dawn; no dusk; no proper time of day. No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease, No comfortable feel in any member; No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds!; November! ————— The End And […]
No! by Thomas Hood
No! by Thomas Hood No sun–no moon! No morn–no noon! No dawn–no dusk–no proper time of day– No sky–no earthly view– No distance looking blue– No road–no street–no “t’other side this way”– No end to any Row– No indications where the Crescents go– No top to any steeple– No recognitions of familiar people– No courtesies […]
I Remember, I Remember by Thomas Hood
I Remember, I Remember by Thomas Hood I Remember, I Remember I remember, I remember The house where I was born, The little window where the sun Came peeping in at morn; He never came a wink too soon Nor brought too long a day; But now, I often wish the night Had borne my […]
Gold! by Thomas Hood
Gold! by Thomas Hood Gold! Gold! Gold! Gold! Bright and yellow, hard and cold Molten, graven, hammered and rolled, Heavy to get and light to hold, Hoarded, bartered, bought and sold, Stolen, borrowed, squandered, doled, Spurned by young, but hung by old To the verge of a church yard mold; Price of many a crime […]
Flowers by Thomas Hood
Flowers by Thomas Hood I will not have the mad Clytie, Whose head is turned by the sun; The tulip is a courtly queen, Whom, therefore, I will shun; The cowslip is a country wench, The violet is a nun; – But I will woo the dainty rose, The queen of everyone. The pea is […]
Faithless Sally Brown by Thomas Hood
Faithless Sally Brown by Thomas Hood Young Ben he was a nice young man, A carpenter by trade; And he fell in love with Sally Brown, That was a lady’s maid. But as they fetch’d a walk one day, They met a press-gang crew; And Sally she did faint away, Whilst Ben he was brought […]
Faithless Nelly Gray by Thomas Hood
Faithless Nelly Gray by Thomas Hood A Pathetic Ballad Ben Battle was a soldier bold, And used to war’s alarms; But a cannon-ball took off his legs, So he laid down his arms. Now as they bore him off the field, Said he, ‘Let others shoot; For here I leave my second leg, And the […]
Death by Thomas Hood
Death by Thomas Hood It is not death, that sometime in a sigh This eloquent breath shall take its speechless flight; That sometime these bright stars, that now reply In sunlight to the sun, shall set in night; That this warm conscious flesh shall perish quite, And all life’s ruddy springs forget to flow; That […]
Christmas Holidays by Thomas Hood
Christmas Holidays by Thomas Hood Along the Woodford road there comes a noise Of wheels, and Mr. Rounding’s neat post-chaise Struggles along, drawn by a pair of bays, With Reverend Mr. Crow and six small boys, Who ever and anon declare their joys With trumping horns and juvenile huzzas, At going home to spend their […]
Autumn by Thomas Hood
Autumn by Thomas Hood I Saw old Autumn in the misty morn Stand shadowless like Silence, listening To silence, for no lonely bird would sing Into his hollow ear from woods forlorn, Nor lowly hedge nor solitary thorn;— Shaking his languid locks all dewy bright With tangled gossamer that fell by night, Pearling his coronet […]
Allegory by Thomas Hood
Allegory by Thomas Hood I had a gig-horse, and I called him Pleasure Because on Sundays for a little jaunt He was so fast and showy, quite a treasure; Although he sometimes kicked and shied aslant. I had a chaise, and christened it Enjoyment, With yellow body and the wheels of red, Because it was […]
A Lake And A Fairy Boat by Thomas Hood
A Lake And A Fairy Boat by Thomas Hood A lake and a fairy boat To sail in the moonlight clear, – And merrily we would float From the dragons that watch us here! Thy gown should be snow-white silk And strings of oriental pearls, Like gossamers dipped in milk, Should twine with thy raven […]
polyphony_in_a_cathedral.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Polyphony In A Cathedral by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Polyphony In A Cathedral/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>Music curlsbr /> In the stone shellsbr /> Of the arches, and ringsbr /> Their stone bells./p> p>Music lipsbr /> Each cold groovebr /> […]
one_almost_might.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>One Almost Might by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>One Almost Might/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>Wouldn’t you say,br /> Wouldn’t you say: one day,br /> With a little more time or a little more patience, one mightbr /> Disentangle for separate, […]
nursery_rhyme_for_a_twenty_first_birthday.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Nursery Rhyme For A Twenty-First Birthday by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Nursery Rhyme For A Twenty-First Birthday/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>You cannot see the walls that divide your handbr /> From his or hers or mine when you think you […]
Not Love Perhaps
This is not Love perhaps – Love that lays down Its life, that many waters cannot quench, nor the floods drown, – But something written in lighter ink, said in a lower tone; Something perhaps especially our own: A need at times to be together and talk – And then the finding we […]
night_piece.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Night Piece by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Night Piece/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>Climb, claim your shelf-room, farbr /> Packed from inquisitive moonbr /> And cold contagious stars./p> p>Lean out, but look no longer,br /> No further, than to stirbr /> […]
never.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Never by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Never/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>Suddenly, desperatelybr /> I thought, “No, neverbr /> In millions of minutesbr /> Can I for one secondbr /> Calm-leaving my own selfbr /> Like clothes on a chair-backbr /> […]
music.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Music by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Music/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>This shape without space,br /> This pattern without stuff,br /> This stream without dimensionbr /> Surrounds us, flows through us,br /> But leaves no mark./p> p>This message without meaning,br /> […]
meeting.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Meeting by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Meeting/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>Dogs take new friends abruptly and by smell,br /> Cats’ meetings are neat, tactual, caressive.br /> Monkeys exchange their fleas before they speak.br /> Snakes, no doubt, coil by coil […]
last_word_to_childhood.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Last Word To Childhood by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Last Word To Childhood/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>Ice-cold fear has slowly decreasedbr /> As my bones have grown, my height increased.br /> Though I shiver in snow of dreams, I shall […]
june_sick_room.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>June Sick Room by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>June Sick Room/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>The birds’ shrill flutingbr /> Beats on the pink blind,br /> Pierces the pink blindbr /> At whose edge fumble the sun’sbr /> Fingers till one […]
houses.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Houses by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Houses/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>People who are afraid of themselvesbr /> Multiply themselves into familiesbr /> And so divide themselvesbr /> And so become less afraid./p> p>People who might have to go outbr /> […]
flight_of_stairs.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Flight Of Stairs by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Flight Of Stairs/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>Stairs fly as straight as hawks;br /> Or else in spirals, curve out of curve, pausingbr /> At a ledge to poise their wings before relaunching.br […]
epitaph_on_a_disturber_of_his_times.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Epitaph On A Disturber Of His Times by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Epitaph On A Disturber Of His Times/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>We expected the violin’s finger on the upturned nerve;br /> Its importunate cry, too laxly curved:br /> And […]
Epitaph for Our Children
Blame us for these who were cradled and rocked in our chaos; Watching our sidelong watching, fearing our fear; Playing their blind-man’s-bluff in our gutted mansions, Their follow-my-leader on a stair that ended in air. Arthur Seymour John TessimondArthur Seymour John Tessimond (1902 -1962) was an English poet. He had a tumultuous childhood, ran from […]
empty_room.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Empty Room by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Empty Room/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>The clock disserts on punctuation, syntax.br /> The clock’s voice, thin and dry, asserts, repeats.br /> The clock insists: a lecturer demonstrating,br /> Loudly, with finger raised, when […]
earthfast.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Earthfast by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Earthfast/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>Architects plant their imagination, weld their poems on rock,br /> Clamp them to the skidding rim of the world and anchor them down to its core;br /> Leave more than […]
don_juan.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Don Juan by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Don Juan/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>Under the lips and limbs, the embraces, faces,br /> Under the sharp circumference, the brightness,br /> Under the fence of shadows,br /> Is something I am seeking;br /> […]
discovery.html
!DOCTYPE html> html> head lang=”en-US”> title>Discovery by A. S. J. Tessimond/title> /div> h1 class=”pageTitle”>Discovery/h1> div class=”entry-content clearfix”> h2 class=”author”>by A. S. J. Tessimond/h2> div id=”content”> p>When you are slightly drunkbr /> Things are so close, so friendly.br /> The road asks to be walked upon,br /> The road rewards you for walkingbr /> With firm […]