"Among the Rocks" by Robert Browning

 

Among the Rocks

Oh, good gigantic smile o’ the brown old earth,

This autumn morning! How he sets his bones

To bask i’ the sun, and thrusts out knees and feet

For the ripple to run over in its mirth;

Listening the while, where on the heap of stones

The white breast of the sea-lark twitters sweet.

 

That is the doctrine, simple, ancient, true;

Such is life’s trial, as old earth smiles and knows.

If you loved only what were worth your love,

Love were clear gain, and wholly well for you:

Make the low nature better by your throes!

Give earth yourself, go up for gain above!

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

https://youtu.be/6AsHxg-1w6A

poem video 👇 

Who wrote poem "Among the Rocks"?

Robert Browning (May 7, 1812 – December 12, 1889)

Robert Browning, often situated in the company of the great Victorian poets, was notably proficient in dramatic monologues, a form he mastered and popularized. He married fellow poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Browning's work "The Ring and the Book," inspired by a 17th-century Roman murder trial, became a significant success, solidifying his reputation after years of mixed reviews. Interestingly, Browning and Charles Dickens were friends, and Dickens even wrote a character based on him in "Our Mutual Friend." Despite his literary success, Browning also had a passion for music and was an accomplished pianist, often composing tunes for his own poems.

"Among the Rocks" explanation

"Among the Rocks" intertwines vibrant natural imagery with deep philosophical insights, a hallmark of Robert Browning's work. The earth, personified joyfully basking in the sun, symbolizes life and growth amidst the serene scene of a twittering sea-lark. Browning’s philosophical doctrine in the second stanza reflects on life's trials and the pursuit of worthy love. He advocates elevating base nature through struggle and self-giving to the earth. The poem subtly intertwines the physical and spiritual, encouraging readers to seek higher, intangible gains.

Sonnet 73 (That time of year thou mayst in me behold) by William shakespeare

 

Sonnet 73 (That time of year thou mayst in me behold)

That time of year thou mayst in me behold

When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang

Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,

Bare ruin’d choirs where late the sweet birds sang.

In me thou seest the twilight of such day

As after sunset fadeth in the west,

Which by and by black night doth take away,

Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.

In me thou seest the glowing of such fire

That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,

As the death-bed whereon it must expire,

Consum’d by that which it was nourished by.

This thou perceiv’st which makes thy love more strong,

To love that well which thou must leave ere long.

 

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video👇

https://youtu.be/QexVgxm3dvQ?si=9AL1TZYvjBWk0AG0

Who wrote the poem "A Madrigal"?

William Shakespeare (April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616)

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor of the Renaissance era. He is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language, often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon." Few public records remain about his private life, causing speculations about his physical appearances, sexuality, religious beliefs and the authorship of some of his works. His works demonstrate a wide range of human emotions and conflicts, touching so many people's minds throughout the world for over 400 years.

"Sonnet 73" explanation

"Sonnet 73" by William Shakespeare poignantly explores the themes of aging and mortality through metaphors of autumn, sunset, and dying embers, symbolizing the poet's own existential reflections. The vivid imagery conveys a serene yet melancholic acceptance of life's transience and the impending inevitability of death. Despite the somber metaphors, the concluding lines reveal a message that the awareness of life's ephemerality can deepen love and appreciation for existing relationships. This sonnet, while exploring the universal themes of time and decay, ultimately underscores a profound message of love and mutual appreciation amidst the transient nature of life. Shakespeare's exploration of these themes has rendered "Sonnet 73" timeless, resonating with and deeply moving readers across generations.

"The Land God Forgot" by Robert Service

 

The Land God Forgot

The lonely sunsets flare forlorn

Down valleys dreadly desolate;

The lordly mountains soar in scorn

As still as death, as stern as fate.

 

The lonely sunsets flame and die;

The giant valleys gulp the night;

The monster mountains scrape the sky,

Where eager stars are diamond-bright.

 

So gaunt against the gibbous moon,

Piercing the silence velvet-piled,

A lone wolf howls his ancient rune-

The fell arch-spirit of the Wild.

 

O outcast land! O leper land!

Let the lone wolf-cry all express

The hate insensate of thy hand,

Thy heart's abysmal loneliness.

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video👇

https://youtu.be/dnFxK9xQMRg

Who wrote the poem "The Land God Forgot" ?

Robert W. Service (January 16, 1874 – September 11, 1958)

Robert W. Service, often dubbed the "Bard of the Yukon," was a British-Canadian poet and writer. He achieved immense popularity for his vivid portrayals of the Canadian North and its rugged inhabitants. While he spent several years in the Yukon during the Gold Rush era, many of his tales were based on stories he heard rather than personal experiences. Beyond his Yukon ballads, Service also wrote about World War I, drawing from his time as a wartime correspondent. His style, characterized by rhythmic verses and compelling narratives, made him one of the best-selling poets of his time.

"The Land God Forgot"  explanation

The poem captures the stark, desolate beauty of a remote landscape. Service uses powerful imagery to depict nature's grandeur and indifference. The sunsets, mountains, and valleys symbolize the vastness and isolation of the land. The lone wolf's howl emphasizes the wilderness's raw, untamed spirit. The terms "outcast" and "leper" suggest a land rejected, yet possessing a haunting allure. The poem conveys both the majesty and melancholy of the untouched wild or perhaps the poet’s loneliness and pain. The poem's tone reflects the Romantic tradition of finding profound beauty in desolation and solitude.

"Summer Holiday" by Robinson Jeffers

 

Summer Holiday 

When the sun shouts and people abound

One thinks there were the ages of stone and the age of

bronze

And the iron age; iron the unstable metal;

Steel made of iron, unstable as his mother; the tow-

ered-up cities

Will be stains of rust on mounds of plaster.

Roots will not pierce the heaps for a time, kind rains

will cure them,

Then nothing will remain of the iron age

And all these people but a thigh-bone or so, a poem

Stuck in the world's thought, splinters of glass

In the rubbish dumps, a concrete dam far off in the

mountain...

 

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video👇

https://youtu.be/T839MuKvkIk

Who wrote the poem "Summer Holiday"?

Robinson Jeffers (January 10, 1887 – January 20, 1962)

Robinson Jeffers was an American poet, best known for his works that emphasize the beauty and power of nature, often set against the California coastline. Jeffers introduced a philosophy called "inhumanism," which prioritizes the magnificence of the natural world over human concerns. His literary legacy is marked by his distinctive pantheistic vision and deep ecological perspective, which have made him a foundational figure in environmental literature. 

"Summer Holiday" explanation

"Summer Holiday" by Robinson Jeffers explores the transient nature of human civilization and its ultimate return to nature. The poem contrasts the bustling activity of the present, symbolized by the sun's shout and the crowds, with the inevitable decay of human-made structures. The speaker references the ages of stone, bronze, and iron, highlighting the impermanence of even the most durable materials. The imagery of rusted cities and mounds of plaster underscores the idea that nature will eventually reclaim what humans have built. The poem concludes with a somber reflection on humanity's fleeting legacy: a few remnants, a poem, and distant memories in the vast timeline of the world.

"The Sun Has Long Been Set" by William Wordsworth

 

The Sun Has Long Been Set

 

The sun has long been set,

The stars are out by twos and threes,

The little birds are piping yet

Among the bushes and trees;

There's a cuckoo, and one or two thrushes,

And a far-off wind that rushes,

And a sound of water that gushes,

And the cuckoo's sovereign cry

Fills all the hollow of the sky.

Who would "go parading"

In London, "and masquerading,"

On such a night of June

With that beautiful soft half-moon,

And all these innocent blisses?

On such a night as this is!

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music

poem video👇

https://youtu.be/jkdnjpDcDJU

Who wrote the poem "To the Skylark"?

William Wordsworth  (April 7, 1770 – April 23, 1850)

William Wordsworth was an English poet who pioneered the Romantic Movement with his close friend and fellow poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He famously defined poetry as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.” Using the ordinary language “really used by men,” he wrote beautiful poetry with sweet imagery, often based around the natural world. He suffered from depression, which was reflected in somber undertones in his poems. He was the Poet Laureate for Queen Victoria from 1843 until his death from pleurisy in 1850.

"The Solitary Reaper" explanation

In the poem, the speaker contrasts the serene beauty of a rural evening with the artificiality of city life. The sensory language immerses the reader in the tranquil scene, while the critique of "parading" and "masquerading" in London reflects the poet's preference for the simplicity and purity of nature, embodying his Romantic ideals.

"As Imperceptibly as Grief" by Emily Dickinson

 

As Imperceptibly as Grief

As imperceptibly as grief

The summer lapsed away, —

Too imperceptible, at last,

To seem like perfidy.

A quietness distilled,

As twilight long begun,

Or Nature, spending with herself

Sequestered afternoon.

The dusk drew earlier in,

The morning foreign shone, —

A courteous, yet harrowing grace,

As guest who would be gone.

 

And thus, without a wing,

Or service of a keel,

Our summer made her light escape

Into the beautiful.

 

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video👇

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Who wrote the poem "As Imperceptibly as Grief"?

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886)

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet who was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. She spent most of her adult life at the family home in isolation, attending to her ill mother. Introverted and timid, she never married or sought a permanent romantic relationship all her life. Although she wrote nearly 1,800 poems during her lifetime, her poetry was largely misunderstood or underrated while she was alive. Her poems were quite original and disregarded many conventional rules, containing short lines, typically lacking titles, and often using imperfect rhyme and odd-looking syntax. Her poetry however captures universal feelings in a simple sentence with unique but resonating metaphors and reflects the poet’s lively, imaginative, and dynamic inner world. Her poetic genius began to be appreciated only after her death when her sister published her works. Now Dickinson is regarded as one of the most important American poets.

"As Imperceptibly as Grief" explanation

Emily Dickinson's poem "As Imperceptibly as Grief" uses the metaphor of the changing seasons to explore the nature of loss and the passage of time. The poem begins with the end of summer, which has slipped away as subtly and inevitably as grief. This transition is so gradual that it feels almost like a betrayal. The quietness of the changing season reflects the quietness that can descend in the wake of grief. As the poem progresses, the shift from day to night and the arrival of a foreign morning symbolize the profound changes that loss can bring. The final lines suggest a sense of acceptance and even beauty in this cycle of change and loss, as the summer escapes "into the Beautiful" without the need for wings or a keel. The poem thus captures the quiet, gradual, but profound impact of grief and change on our lives. Dickinson lived much of her life in relative isolation, and her poems often reflect a deep introspection and exploration of her own thoughts and feelings, as in "As Imperceptibly as Grief".

"Summer Song" by William Carlos Williams

 

Summer Song

Wanderer moon

smiling a

faintly ironical smile

at this

brilliant, dew-moistened

summer morning,—

a detached

sleepily indifferent

smile, a

wanderer's smile,—

if I should

buy a shirt

your color and

put on a necktie

sky-blue

where would they carry me?

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

Poem Video👇

https://youtu.be/5d6pxJc7y5M

Who wrote the poem "Blizzard"?

William Carlos Williams (September 17, 1883 – March 4, 1963)

William Carlos Williams was an American poet, writer, and physician. As a family doctor and leading poet of Imagist movement, he practiced medicine by day and wrote at night. He was known for his experimental and innovative poetic style while maintaining a remarkably conventional life.

Summer Song

This poem is a reflection on the beauty of a summer morning and the wanderlust that it inspires. The moon is personified as a wanderer, and its smile is described as faintly ironical and detached. The poet wonders if wearing colors that reflect the beauty of the morning would take him to new places.

William Carlos Williams was not only a poet but also a practicing physician. He often wrote poetry in between seeing patients. His medical career influenced his poetry, as he was deeply interested in observing the details of everyday life, which is evident in the precise imagery of "Summer Song".

"In Time of Silver Rain" by Langston Hughes

 

In Time Of Silver Rain

In time of silver rain

The earth puts forth new life again,

Green grasses grow

And flowers lift their heads,

And over all the plain

The wonder spreads

 

Of Life,

Of Life,

Of life!

 

In time of silver rain

The butterflies lift silken wings

To catch a rainbow cry,

And trees put forth new leaves to sing

In joy beneath the sky

As down the roadway

Passing boys and girls

Go singing, too,

 

In time of silver rain When spring

And life

Are new.

 

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video👇

https://youtu.be/QmcpxfZgWXE

Who Wrote the poem  "In Time of Silver Rain"?

Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967)

 

Langston Hughes was an African-American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist who pioneered the literary art form called “jazz poetry.” He is also known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. Self-admittedly influenced by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Carl Sandburg, and Walt Whitman, Hughes is known for insightful portrayals of black life and culture of his time.

"In Time of Silver Rain" explanation

In the poem, the speaker cherishes spring rain; how it brings joy and life to the world. Humans as well as nature celebrates the beauty and the life the rain brings.

"To the Skylark" by William Wordsworth

 

To the Skylark

Ethereal minstrel! pilgrim of the sky!

Dost thou despise the earth where cares abound?

Or, while the wings aspire, are heart and eye

Both with thy nest upon the dewy ground?

Thy nest which thou canst drop into at will,

Those quivering wings composed, that music still!

 

Leave to the nightingale her shady wood;

A privacy of glorious light is thine;

Whence thou dost pour upon the world a flood

Of harmony, with instinct more divine;

Type of the wise who soar, but never roam;

True to the kindred points of Heaven and Home!

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music

poem video

https://youtu.be/TV5HyYHj7Eo

Who wrote the poem "To the Skylark"?

William Wordsworth  (April 7, 1770 – April 23, 1850)

William Wordsworth was an English poet who pioneered the Romantic Movement with his close friend and fellow poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He famously defined poetry as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.” Using the ordinary language “really used by men,” he wrote beautiful poetry with sweet imagery, often based around the natural world. He suffered from depression, which was reflected in somber undertones in his poems. He was the Poet Laureate for Queen Victoria from 1843 until his death from pleurisy in 1850.

"To the Skylark" explanation

In the poem, the speaker describes a skylark, who flies and sings high up in the air, still attending to its nest. The skylark in the poem is the symbol of the wise man who soars so high in the intellectual/ philosophical sphere and yet does not forget about his ordinary duties such as taking care of family. The poem was written in 1825 as a partially critical response to “To a Skylark” by Percy Bysshe Shelley which was written five years earlier.