To Alfred Tennyson poem – Alfred Austin
Poet! in other lands, when Spring no more Gleams o’er the grass, nor in the thicket-side Plays at being lost and laughs to be descried, And blooms lie wilted on the orchard floor, Then the sweet birds that from Ægean shore Across Ausonian breakers thither hied, Own April’s music in their breast hath died, […]
“‘Tis because, though in dusky bower” poem – Alfred Austin
‘Tis because, though in dusky bower, With love delighted still thou art; Nor hath the deepening twilight power To lay a curfew on thy heart. Thou lovest; and, loving, dost prolong The sense of sunlight with thy song. Alfred AustinAlfred Austin (1835 – 1913) was an English journalist and a poet who was […]
Time’s Weariness poem – Alfred Austin
Slow Time, that carrieth such a monstrous load From every stage and hostel of the Past, Do you not weary of the endless road, And ask how long Life’s journeying will last? Still growing burden on your patient back, Piled are the medley miseries of mankind, No bourne in sight along the lengthening track, […]
Time’s Defence poem – Alfred Austin
“Why am I deemed an enemy of men Who would beyond Life’s limit life prolong? If they believe that they will live again, How can it be that I have done them wrong? Is it not I who rout the Winter snows, And Spring’s melodious symphonies renew, Bring back the blush unto the budding […]
Through Liberty To Light poem – Alfred Austin
Fixed is my Faith, the lingering dawn despite, That still we move through Liberty to Light. The Human Tragedy. When God out of chaos primeval divided the day from the night, And moved on the face of the waters, ordaining, “Let there be Light!” And commanded the creatures that perish to people wave, wood, […]
Three Sonnets Written In Mid-Channel poem – Alfred Austin
I Now upon English soil I soon shall stand, Homeward from climes that fancy deems more fair; And well I know that there will greet me there No soft foam fawning upon smiling strand, No scent of orange-groves, no zephyrs bland, But Amazonian March, with breast half bare And sleety arrows whistling through the […]
Though All The World poem – Alfred Austin
Though all the world should stand aside, And leave you to your sorrow, And you from none, or near, or wide, A smile or tear could borrow; I still would stand with arms outspread, In love and trust unshaken, To make a nest for that dear head, By all the rest forsaken. Come, let […]
The Wind Speaks poem – Alfred Austin
“In the depth of Night, on the heights of Day, Would you know where I rest or roam? In vain will you search, for I nowhere stay, And the Universe is my home. “When you think to descry on the craggy steep My skirts as I mount and flee From the wrecks I have […]
The White Pall Of Peace poem – Alfred Austin
Over the peaceful veldt, Silently, snowflakes fall! Silently, slow, unfelt, Cover the Past with a pall! Brave brother Boers, let us hie To your and our brothers dead; Over the spot where they lie Tears, yours and ours, be shed! Underneath turf, cross, and stone Combat and discord be husht! Blest be the heroes […]
The Spring-Time, O The Spring–Time poem – Alfred Austin
The Spring-time, O the Spring-time! Who does not know it well? When the little birds begin to build, And the buds begin to swell. When the sun with the clouds plays hide-and-seek, And the lambs are bucking and bleating, And the colour mounts to the maiden’s cheek, And the cuckoo scatters greeting; In the […]
“`The smiling slopes with olive groves bedecked” poem – Alfred Austin
`The smiling slopes with olive groves bedecked, Now darkly green, now, as the breeze did stir, Spectral and white, as though the air were flecked With elfin branches laced with gossamer; And then so faint, the eye could scarce detect Which the gray hillside, which the foliage fair; Until once more it dense and […]
The Silent Muse poem – Alfred Austin
“Why have you silent been so long?” In tones of mild rebuke you ask. Know you not, kindly friend, that Song Is the “Gay Science,” not a task? It is but when it pleaseth God The blackthorn blows, the acorns fall; The Muse ignores a mortal’s nod, And will not come to beck and […]
The Season poem – Alfred Austin
In honest times, when purer manners reigned, And Virtue never save by Vice was pained, The Poet’s pen might flagrant scandals call By manly names, the property of all, And, like the prophets bold of Sacred Writ, Discard the sleight of circumambient wit. Now, so corruptly chaste our ways are grown, E’en words, turned […]
The Reply Of Q. Horatius Flaccus To A Roman “Round-Robin” poem – Alfred Austin
Good friends, you urge my Odes grow trite, And that of worthless station, Of fleeting youth and joy, I write With endless iteration. But say, in mortals, base or great, Have you a change detected? Are they, when victors, less elate, When vanquished, less dejected? Do they no more in mundane mire For golden […]
The Poet And The Muse poem – Alfred Austin
Whither, and whence, and why hast fled? Thou art dumb, my muse; thou art dumb, thou art dead, As a waterless stream, as a leafless tree. What have I done to banish thee? But a moon ago, the whole day long My ears were full of the sound of song; And still through my […]
The Passing Of The Primroses poem – Alfred Austin
Primroses, why do you pass away? Primroses Nay, rather, why should we longer stay? We are not needed, now stooping showers Have sandalled the feet of May with flowers. Surely, surely, ’tis time to go, Now that the splendid bluebells blow, Scattering a bridal peal, to hail June blushing under her hawthorn veil. We […]
The Passing Of The Century poem – Alfred Austin
How shall we comfort the Dying Year? Beg him to linger, or bid him go? The light in his eyes burns dim and low, His hands are clammy, his pulse beats slow, He wanders and mumbles, but doth not hear. The lanes are sodden, the leaf-drifts sere, And the wrack is weaving his shroud […]
The Passing Of Spring poem – Alfred Austin
Spring came out of the woodland chase, With her violet eyes and her primrose face, With an iris scarf for her sole apparel, And a voice as blithe as a blackbird’s carol. As she flitted by garth and slipped through glade, Her light limbs winnowed the wind, and made The gold of the pollened […]
The Owl And The Lark poem – Alfred Austin
A grizzled owl at midnight moped Where thick the ivy glistened; So I, who long have vainly groped For wisdom, leaned and listened. Its perch was firm, its aspect staid, Its big eyes gleamed and brightened; Now, now at last, will doubt be laid, Now yearning be enlightened. “Tu-whit! Tu-whoo!” the bird discoursed, “Tu-whoo! […]
The Old Land And The Young Land poem – Alfred Austin
The Young Land said, “I have borne it long, But can suffer it now no more; I must end this endless inhuman wrong Within hail of my own free shore. So fling out the war-flag’s folds, and let the righteous cannons roar!” ‘Twas a quick, rash word, for the strong Young Land Is a […]
The Lover’s Song poem – Alfred Austin
When Winter hoar no longer holds The young year in his gripe, And bleating voices fill the folds, And blackbirds pair and pipe; Then coax the maiden where the sap Awakes the woodlands drear, And pour sweet wildflowers in her lap, And sweet words in her ear. For Springtime is the season, sure, Since […]
The Last Redoubt poem – Alfred Austin
Kacelyevo’s slope still felt The cannon’s bolt and the rifles’ pelt; For a last redoubt up the hill remained, By the Russ yet held, by the Turk not gained. Mehemet Ali stroked his beard; His lips were clinched and his look was weird; Round him were ranks of his ragged folk, Their faces blackened […]
“The lark confinèd in his cage” poem – Alfred Austin
The lark confinèd in his cage, And captive in his wing, Though fluttering with imprisoned rage, Forbeareth not to sing. But still the strain, though loud and long, Is but the mock of mirth, Not that dawn-dewy nuptial song That weddeth Heaven with Earth. Voice that in freedom seems so soft, Fettered, sounds harsh […]
The Human Tragedy ACT IV poem – Alfred Austin
Personages: Gilbert- Miriam- Olympia- Godfrid. Protagonists: Love- Religion- Patriotism- Humanity. Place: Rome-Paris. Time: August 1870 -Close of May1871 And Miriam’s prayer was heard. The hosts of France Low in the dust, low in dishonour, lay: Broken her tumbrils, blunted was her lance, And tinsel Empire vanished in a day. The serried tramp of men, […]
The Human Tragedy ACT III poem – Alfred Austin
Personages: Godfrid- Gilbert- Miriam- Olympia. Protagonists: Love- Religion- * Patriotism. Place: Capri-Mentana. Time: October-November 1867 The laggard Child of Liberty and Light, Long travailed by the centuries, now was born: She had put off the obloquy of night, And like a Goddess stood, facing the morn. Minerva’s self had not more full-grown might At […]
The Human Tragedy ACT II poem – Alfred Austin
Personages: Olympia- Godfrid- Gilbert- Olive. Protagonists: Love- Religion. Place: Spiaggiascura-Milan-Florence. Time: March 1858-May 1859 There is a little city in the South, A silent little city by the sea, Where a swift Alpine torrent finds its mouth, And billowy mountains subside smilingly. It knows nor weeping skies nor dewless drouth, No seasons, save when […]
The Human Tragedy ACT I poem – Alfred Austin
Personages: Olive- Godfrid- Gilbert. Protagonist: Love. Place: England. Time: June-November 1857 Love! all-creating Love, primordial Power, By whom the Heavens, from whom the stars had birth, Fountain and force of air, light, season, shower, Growth, and the green apparel of the Earth, Source of the seed and secret of the flower, Parent of all […]
The Golden Year! poem – Alfred Austin
When piped the love-warm throstle shrill, And all the air was laden With scent of dew and daffodil, I saw a youth and maiden, Whose colour, Spring-like, came and fled, ‘Mong purple copses straying, While birchen tassels overhead Like marriage-bells kept swaying; Filled with that joy that lingers still, Which Eve brought out of […]
Off Mesolongi poem – Alfred Austin
The lights of Mesolongi gleam Before me, now the day is gone; And vague as leaf on drifting stream, My keel glides on. No mellow moon, no stars arise; In other lands they shine and roam: All I discern are darkening skies And whitening foam. So on those lights I gaze that seem Ghosts […]
Nocturnal Vigils poem – Alfred Austin
Why do you chide me that, when mortals yield To slumber’s charm, from sleep I ask no boon, But from my casement watch the maimëd moon Fainting behind her ineffectual shield: Unto the chime by stately planets pealed My song, my soul, my very self attune, And nightly see, what none can see at […]
Nature And the Book poem – Alfred Austin
I closed the book. The summer shower In smiling dimples ebbed away, But still on leaf, and blade, and flower, The fallen raindrops glistening lay. I placed the volume on the shelf, And, issuing from the leafy shed, Paced the moist garden by myself, Musing on what I just had read: That Man should […]
Nature And the Book poem – Alfred Austin
I closed the book. The summer shower In smiling dimples ebbed away, But still on leaf, and blade, and flower, The fallen raindrops glistening lay. I placed the volume on the shelf, And, issuing from the leafy shed, Paced the moist garden by myself, Musing on what I just had read: That Man should […]
My Winter Rose poem – Alfred Austin
Why did you come when the trees were bare? Why did you come with the wintry air? When the faint note dies in the robin’s throat, And the gables drip and the white flakes float? What a strange, strange season to choose to come, When the heavens are blind and the earth is dumb: […]
“My soul is sunk in all–suffusing shame” poem – Alfred Austin
My soul is sunk in all-suffusing shame; Yet not for any individual sin, But that the world’s original fair fame- My own land’s most-is not what it hath been. Shrieks of intolerable bondage smite, Without response, its comfortable ears, Making a craven compromise with Might, For their own luxury, of others’ tears. Better than […]
“My northern blood exults to face” poem – Alfred Austin
My northern blood exults to face The rapture of this rough embrace, Glowing in every vein to feel The cordial caress of steel From spear-blue air and sword-blue sea, Armour of England’s liberty. Alfred AustinAlfred Austin (1835 – 1913) was an English journalist and a poet who was appointed Poet Laureate in 1896, […]
Mozart’s Grave poem – Alfred Austin
Where lies Mozart? Tradition shows A likely spot: so much, no more: No words of his own time disclose When crossed He to the Further Shore, Though later ages, roused to shame, On tardy tomb have carved his name. The sexton asked, “What may this be?” “A Kapellmeister.” “Pass it in: This common grave […]
Mozart’s Grave poem – Alfred Austin
Where lies Mozart? Tradition shows A likely spot: so much, no more: No words of his own time disclose When crossed He to the Further Shore, Though later ages, roused to shame, On tardy tomb have carved his name. The sexton asked, “What may this be?” “A Kapellmeister.” “Pass it in: This common grave […]
Messalina poem – Alfred Austin
The gloss is fading from your hair, The glamour from your brow; The light your eyes were wont to wear Attracts no gazer now. O’er sunny forehead, smiling lips, And cheeks of rosy roundness, slips A cruel, premature eclipse, Time should not yet allow. I think of one whose homestead lies A stone’s-throw from […]
Off Mesolongi poem – Alfred Austin
The lights of Mesolongi gleam Before me, now the day is gone; And vague as leaf on drifting stream, My keel glides on. No mellow moon, no stars arise; In other lands they shine and roam: All I discern are darkening skies And whitening foam. So on those lights I gaze that seem Ghosts […]
Mafeking poem – Alfred Austin
Once again, banners, fly! Clang again, bells, on high, Sounding to sea and sky, Longer and louder, Mafeking’s glory with Kimberley, Ladysmith, Of our unconquered kith Prouder and prouder. Hemmed in for half a year, Still with no succour near, Nor word of hope to cheer Wounded and dying, Famished, and foiled of sleep […]