LESSON 12
SHORT SELECTIONS IN POETRY
I. THE CLOUD
A cloud lay cradled near the setting sun,
A gleam of crimson tinged its braided snow;
Long had I watched the glory moving on,
O'er the still radiance of the lake below:
Tranquil its spirit seemed, and floated slow,
E'en in its very motion there was rest,
While every breath of eve that chanced to blow,
Wafted the traveler to the beauteous west.
Emblem, methought, of the departed soul,
To whose white robe the gleam of bliss is given,
And by the breath of mercy made to roll
Right onward to the golden gate of heaven,
While to the eye of faith it peaceful lies,
And tells to man his glorious destinies.
—John Wilson
II. MY MIND
My mind to me a kingdom is;
Such perfect joy therein I find,
As far exceeds all earthly bliss
That God or nature hath assigned;
Though much I want that most would have,
Yet still my mind forbids to crave.
III. A GOOD NAME
Good name, in man or woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls.
Who steals my purse, steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name,
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.
Shakespeare. —Othello, Act III, Scene III
IV. SUNRISE
But yonder comes the powerful king of day,
Rejoicing in the east. The lessening cloud,
The kindling azure, and the mountain's brow
Illumed with liquid gold, his near approach
Betoken glad. Lo! now apparent all,
Aslant the dew-bright earth and colored air
He looks in boundless majesty abroad,
And sheds the shining day that, burnished, plays
On rocks, and hills, and towers, and wandering streams,
High gleaming from afar.
—Thomson
V. OLD AGE AND DEATH
Edmund Waller, 1605-1687, an English poet, was a cousin of John Hampden, and related to Oliver Cromwell. He was educated at Eton and Cambridge. Waller was for many years a member of Parliament. He took part in the civil war, and was detected in a treasonable plot. Several years of his life were spent in exile in France. After the Restoration he came into favor at court. His poetry is celebrated for smoothness and sweetness, but is disfigured by affected conceits.
The seas are quiet when the winds give o'er;
So calm are we when passions are no more.
For then we know how vain it was to boast
Of fleeting things, too certain to be lost.
Clouds of affection from our younger eyes
Conceal that emptiness which age descries.
The soul's dark cottage, battered and decayed,
Lets in new light through chinks that time has made:
Stronger by weakness, wiser men become,
As they draw near to their eternal home.
Leaving the old, both worlds at once they view,
That stand upon the threshold of the new.
VI. MILTON
John Dryden, 1631-1703, was a noted English writer, who was made poet laureate by James II. On the expulsion of James, and the accession of William and Mary, Dryden lost his offices and pension, and was compelled to earn his bread by literary work. It was during these last years of his life that his best work was done. His “Ode for St. Cecilia's Day” is one of his most celebrated poems. His prose writings are specimens of good, strong English.
Three poets, in three distant ages born,
Greece, Italy, and England did adorn;
The first in loftiness of thought surpassed,
The next in majesty, in both the last.
The force of nature could no further go;
To make a third she joined the other two.
STUDY NOTE
John Milton (1608-1674) was one of the greatest English poets of the 17th century. His three major poems—Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, and Samson Agonistes—were all completed after he had gone blind. Homer (c 700 BC) was a Greek epic poet. His works, The Iliad and The Odyssey are considered his masterpieces. Dante (1265-1321) was an Italian poet. His Divine Comedy is an epic poem and his best known work.
STUDY GUIDE
A. Vocabulary Practice—Read the definitions, then answer the questions.
I—radiance—dazzling or splendid beauty
tranquil—calm, peaceful
emblem—symbol of an institution, quality, etc.
II—kingdom—a land ruled by a king
bliss—extreme happiness
crave—to want something badly
III—trash—garbage
filch—take/steal
IV—yonder—far away
boundless—never ending
V—boast—brag/to say how great you are
affection—to like something or someone very much
eternal—forever
1. Talk about someone or something that has radiance.
2. What's your favourite tranquil place?
3. What company's emblem do you like?
4. Is your country a kingdom?
5. Tell about a time when you felt bliss.
6. What food do you crave now?
7. What did you throw in the trash recently?
8. Has someone ever filched something from you? Tell what happened.
9. When you look yonder, what do you see?
10. Do you know someone who has boundless energy?
11. Have you ever boasted about something?
12. What animal do you feel affection for?
13. Do you think eternal happiness is possible?
B. What do you think? Give your opinion about these questions.
1. Which poetry selection do you like the best? Why?
2. The first line of the second selection is “My mind to me a kingdom is”. What does this mean?
3. In selection four, who is “... the powerful king of day”?
4. Selection V says “Stronger by weakness, wiser men become”. What does this mean?
5. One of the themes of these poems is nature. What are some other themes?
6. In selection III, why is it worse to steal someone's good name than to steal his or her purse?
C. Similarities and Differences—Answer the following questions.
1. How are selections I and IV similar? How are they different?
2. How is selection VI different from the others?
3. How are selections II and III similar?
4. Which selection is the happiest? Why?
5. Which selection is the saddest? Why?