After A Lecture On Keats

By Oliver Wendell Holmes

"Purpureos spargam flores."     The wreath that star-crowned Shelley gave     Is lying on thy Roman grave,     Yet on its turf young April sets     Her store of slender violets;     Though all the Gods their garlands shower,     I too may bring one purple flower.     Alas! what blossom shall I bring,     That opens in my Northern spring?     The garden beds have all run wild,     So trim when I was yet a child;     Flat plantains and unseemly stalks     Have crept across the gravel walks;     The vines are dead, long, long ago,     The almond buds no longer blow.     No more upon its mound I see     The azure, plume-bound fleur-de-lis;     Where once the tulips used to show,     In straggling tufts the pansies grow;     The grass has quenched my white-rayed gem,     The flowering "Star of Bethlehem,"     Though its long blade of glossy green     And pallid stripe may still be seen.     Nature, who treads her nobles down,     And gives their birthright to the clown,     Has sown her base-born weedy things     Above the garden's queens and kings.     Yet one sweet flower of ancient race     Springs in the old familiar place.     When snows were melting down the vale,     And Earth unlaced her icy mail,     And March his stormy trumpet blew,     And tender green came peeping through,     I loved the earliest one to seek     That broke the soil with emerald beak,     And watch the trembling bells so blue     Spread on the column as it grew.     Meek child of earth! thou wilt not shame     The sweet, dead poet's holy name;     The God of music gave thee birth,     Called from the crimson-spotted earth,     Where, sobbing his young life away,     His own fair Hyacinthus lay.     The hyacinth my garden gave     Shall lie upon that Roman grave!

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Analysis & Notes:
This poem delicately interweaves themes of loss, time passage, and the enduring power of nature. The tone of the poem is melancholic, yet subtly hopeful, as the speaker recalls the transformation of a once orderly garden into a wild, untamed space. This can be seen as a metaphor for the passage of time and the inevitability of change. However, amidst the decay and the loss, the speaker finds solace in the continuity provided by the natural world, embodied by the enduring bloom of the hyacinth.

The poem's structure, a series of contemplative stanzas, allows the poet to gradually develop their thoughts, moving from specific observations to broader reflections. The poet uses vivid imagery to capture both the elegant beauty of the garden in its heyday and its current, wilder state. The use of personification, particularly in lines like "Nature, who treads her nobles down," adds depth to the portrayal of nature as a powerful and transformative force. The poem culminates with the emergence of the hyacinth, a symbol of resilience and rebirth. This serves as a poignant reminder of life's cyclical nature and the enduring power of beauty, even amidst decay and change.

Understanding Elegy

An elegy is a form of poetry that expresses sorrow or lamentation, often for someone who has died. This type of poetry serves as a tribute to the deceased, reflecting on their life and the grief left behind.


Elegies are deeply emotional and personal, exploring themes of loss, mourning, and remembrance. Here are some defining characteristics:

  • Mournful Tone: Elegies are characterized by a tone of sadness and reflection, as the poet grapples with the pain of loss.
  • Tribute to the Deceased: The subject of an elegy is often someone who has passed away, with the poem serving as a memorial that honors their life and legacy.
  • Personal Reflection: Elegies often include personal reflections on the impact of the deceased on the poet's life, as well as broader musings on mortality and the human condition.
  • Structure and Form: While elegies can vary in form, they often follow a traditional structure that includes an expression of grief, praise for the deceased, and a sense of consolation or acceptance.

From ancient times to the present, elegies have provided a way for poets to navigate the complexities of grief and loss, offering solace and a means of preserving the memory of those who have passed.