Author: Victor James Daley

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    The red sun on the lonely lands
    Gazed, under clouds of rose,
    As one who under knitted hands
    Takes one last look and goes.

    Then Pain, with her white sister Fear,
    Crept nearer to my bed:
    The sands are running; dost thou hear
    Thy sobbing heart? she said.

    There came a rider to the gate,
    And stern and clear spake he:
    For meat or drink thou must not wait,
    But rise and ride with me.

    I waited not for meat or drink,
    Or kiss, or farewell kind,
    But oh! my heart was sore to think
    Of friends I left behind.

    We rode oer hills that seemed to sweep
    Skyward like swelling waves;
    The living stirred not in their sleep,
    The dead slept in their graves.

    And ever as we rode I heard
    A moan of anguish sore,
    No voice of man or beast or bird,
    But all of these and more.

    Is it the moaning of the Earth?
    Dark Rider, answer me!
    It is the cry of life at birth
    He answered quietly:

    But thou canst turn a face of cheer
    To good days still in store;
    Thou needst not care for Pain or Fear,
    They cannot harm thee more.

    Yet I rode on with sullen heart,
    And said with breaking breath,
    If thou art he I think thou art,
    Then slay me now, O Death!

    The veil was from my eyesight drawn,
    Thou knowest now, said he:
    I am the Angel of the Dawn!
    Ride back, and wait for me.

    So I rode back at morning light,
    And there, beside my bed,
    Fear had become a lily white
    And Pain a rose of red.

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Type of Poem: Ballad

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This compelling poem is a vivid exploration of mortality, fear, pain, and ultimately, acceptance. The poem starts with a striking image of a setting sun, symbolizing the end of life, accompanied by the figures of Pain and Fear. The starkness and loneliness of the initial landscape set a somber tone, which is maintained throughout the poem. The structure of the poem is traditional, with a regular rhyme scheme, which adds a rhythmic quality to the narrative.

The poem then introduces a mysterious rider, who can be interpreted as the embodiment of death or transition. The journey they undertake together, through hills that 'seem to sweep skyward', offers a powerful metaphor for the spiritual journey towards the end of life. The moaning heard by the speaker further emphasizes the struggle and anguish associated with this journey.

In a surprising twist, however, the rider is revealed not as the figure of death, but as the "Angel of the Dawn," a symbol of rebirth or new beginnings. This revelation shifts the tone of the poem from despair to a more hopeful register. The final lines depict Fear and Pain transformed into a lily and a rose, respectively - symbols of purity and love. This suggests a kind of transcendence or transformation of suffering, hinting at the possibility of finding beauty and redemption even in the midst of pain and fear. The poem, therefore, while grappling with heavy themes, ultimately conveys a message of hope and acceptance.