Author: Emily Bronte

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    Come, walk with me,
    There's only thee
    To bless my spirit now
    We used to love on winter nights
    To wander through the snow;
    Can we not woo back old delights?
    The clouds rush dark and wild
    They fleck with shade our mountain heights
    The same as long ago
    And on the horizon rest at last
    In looming masses piled;
    While moonbeams flash and fly so fast
    We scarce can say they smiled

    Come walk with me, come walk with me;
    We were not once so few
    But Death has stolen our company
    As sunshine steals the dew
    He took them one by one and we
    Are left the only two;
    So closer would my feelings twine
    Because they have no stay but thine

    'Nay call me not, it may not be
    Is human love so true?
    Can Friendship's flower droop on for years
    And then revive anew?
    No, though the soil be wet with tears,
    How fair soe'er it grew
    The vital sap once perished
    Will never flow again
    And surer than that dwelling dread,
    The narrow dungeon of the dead
    Time parts the hearts of men'

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Type of Poem: Lyric Poem

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem is a poignant meditation on loss, the passage of time, and the enduring power of love and friendship. The speaker invites the reader, addressed as "thee," to join them in a nostalgic journey through shared memories, which are symbolized by the winter landscape. The recurring theme of walking together emphasizes the desire for companionship and connection in the face of grief and loneliness.

The mournful tone of the poem is effectively contrasted with the vivid, dynamic imagery of the natural world, such as the "clouds rush[ing] dark and wild" and "moonbeams flash[ing] and fly[ing] so fast." These images serve to underscore the relentless progression of time and the fleeting nature of life. Meanwhile, the use of the metaphor of Friendship's flower, which cannot "revive anew" once its "vital sap" has perished, further highlights the irrevocability of loss and the fragility of human connections. The structure of the poem, with its rhythmic, rhymed verses, conveys a sense of inevitability and finality, particularly in the concluding lines about how "Time parts the hearts of men." Overall, this poem offers a deeply moving exploration of universal human experiences and emotions.