Thursday, March 23, 2006

Tennyson on Spring


Spring
Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Now fades the last long streak of snow,
Now burgeons every maze of quick
About the flowering squares, and thick
By ashen roots the violets blow.

Now rings the woodland loud and long.
The distance takes a lovelier hue,
And drowned in yonder living blue
The lark becomes a sightless song.

Now dances the lights on lawn and lea,
The flocks are whiter down the vale,
And milkier every milky sail,
On winding stream or distant sea;

Where now the seamew pipes, or dives
In yonder greening gleam, and fly
The happy birds, that change their sky
To build and brood, that live their lives.

From land to land; and in my breast
Spring wakens too; and my regret
Becomes an April violet,
And buds and blossoms like the rest.

10 Comments:

Blogger GoGo said...

um, yep.

Seriously, I appreciated this poem. I have never been so excited about spring as I am this year. I'm usually a summer/autumn girl. But something has turned or awaken and in these moments when winter yields her grace for the opportunity of spring, I am left like a child jumping up and down singing "Springs coming!"

So, long comment short, thank you for this wonderful poem!

10:36 PM  
Blogger LauraHinNJ said...

Beautiful. Thank you.

11:02 PM  
Blogger Kim Tyler said...

Gorgeous poem, really stirs up lots of feelings and memories. Thanks for selecting it and putting it our there for us all!

11:16 PM  
Blogger Pam in Tucson said...

I still have a slide of spring violets I took in Connecticut. Yours are lovely. Beautiful poem evoking spring memories from my childhood in England. Thanks for taking me back ...

11:32 PM  
Blogger Lindsay said...

This photo is so tender and sweet! I can't wait for things to thaw out in the Mid west. It snowed last night! Lovely poem too!

8:55 AM  
Blogger GreenishLady said...

I once had a prejudice against "old" poets fostered by school experiences, and while I've shaken it off for the most part, I still don't read them often enough. It's good to be encouraged to come look again. This is beautiful. Thank you.

3:55 PM  
Blogger MB said...

On a walk yesterday, I smelled the violets before I saw them -- first of this spring!

4:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

a most fitting poem for these beautiful harbingers of spring. Lovely!

4:12 PM  
Blogger Endment said...

gogo
Thanks for your comment and I am ready to jump up and down with you and sing Spring is coming.

laurahinnj
thanks for commenting


sigrid jardin
it awakens lots of memories for me also

pam in tucson
I am enjoying vicariously your spring in Arizona while looking forward to the return of New England spring

lindsay,
I really relate to the joy in thawing out... our snow is finally gone and a few green shoots are poking through.

greenishlady,
I am beginning to understand how creative my english and literature teachers must have been. I can get lost for hours in the poetry and prose of a few generations past. Thanks for your comment.

mb
Oh how lovely ... I can scarcely wait to smell the spring violets this photo is from last year.

cindy
thanks for your visit and comment

10:58 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh, so glad to have found you today while searching Google for Tennyson. The poem, the graphic, and your beautiful gray hair, a lovely mix.

1:39 PM  

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