Poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Shakespeare

A vision as of crowded city streets,
  With human life in endless overflow;
  Thunder of thoroughfares; trumpets that blow
  To battle; clamor, in obscure retreats,
Of sailors landed from their anchored fleets;
  Tolling of bells in turrets, and below
  Voices of children, and bright flowers that throw
  O'er garden-walls their intermingled sweets!
This vision comes to me when I unfold
  The volume of the Poet paramount,
  Whom all the Muses loved, not one alone;--
Into his hands they put the lyre of gold,
  And, crowned with sacred laurel at their fount,
  Placed him as Musagetes on their throne.

1. The Courtship of Miles Standish. 1. Miles Standish
2. Epimetheus, or the Poet’s Afterthought
3. The Courtship of Miles Standish. 6. Priscilla
4. The Courtship of Miles Standish. 7. The March of Miles Standish
5. Prometheus, or the Poet’s Forethought

Lucretia Davidson Shakespeare ("Shakspeare! with all thy faults")

Print

2387 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version