Author: Oliver Wendell Holmes
Brothers, whom we may not reach Through the veil of alien speech, Welcome! welcome! eyes can tell What the lips in vain would spell, - Words that hearts can understand, Brothers from the Flowery Land! We, the evening's latest born, Hail the children of the morn! We, the new creation's birth, Greet the lords of ancient earth, From their storied walls and towers Wandering to these tents of ours! Land of wonders, fair Cathay, Who long hast shunned the staring day, Hid in mists of poet's dreams By thy blue and yellow streams, - Let us thy shadowed form behold, - Teach us as thou didst of old. Knowledge dwells with length of days; Wisdom walks in ancient ways; Thine the compass that could guide A nation o'er the stormy tide, Scourged by passions, doubts, and fears, Safe through thrice a thousand years! Looking from thy turrets gray Thou hast seen the world's decay, - Egypt drowning in her sands, - Athens rent by robbers' hands, - Rome, the wild barbarian's prey, Like a storm-cloud swept away: Looking from thy turrets gray Still we see thee. Where are they? And to I a new-born nation waits, Sitting at the golden gates That glitter by the sunset sea, - Waits with outspread arms for thee! Open wide, ye gates of gold, To the Dragon's banner-fold! Builders of the mighty wall, Bid your mountain barriers fall! So may the girdle of the sun. Bind the East and West in one, Till Mount Shasta's breezes fan The snowy peaks of Ta Sieue-Shan, - Till Erie blends its waters blue With the waves of Tung-Ting-Hu, - Till deep Missouri lends its flow To swell the rushing Hoang-Ho!
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 rich and evocative piece that explores themes of connection, cultural exchange, and the passage of time. The narrative voice reaches out to the 'Brothers from the Flowery Land', an allusion to China, extending a welcome and seeking wisdom from an ancient civilization. The use of terms such as 'storied walls' and 'ancient earth' underscores the respect for age-old wisdom, while the 'new creation's birth' emphasizes the youth and dynamism of the narrator's own culture.
The tone of the poem is both reverential and hopeful. It communicates a desire for unity and understanding between two cultures that are geographically and culturally distant. The structure of the poem, with its repeated refrains and consistent rhythm, creates an incantational quality that highlights this longing for connection. The use of vivid imagery, such as the 'golden gates' and the 'Dragon's banner-fold', alongside geographical landmarks, weaves a narrative that spans continents, suggesting a universal commonality. The poem also uses the metaphor of a journey—'wandering' from China's 'walls and towers' to the 'tents' of the narrator's land—to symbolize this cultural exchange. The final stanzas envision a harmonious future where East and West are bound in unity, a poetic dream that reflects the poem's central theme of cross-cultural understanding and unity.
Lyric poetry is a powerful and intimate form of expression, characterized by its focus on the personal emotions and thoughts of the poet. Often musical in nature, lyric poems resonate with readers through their vivid language and rhythmic flow, capturing moments of intense feeling.
Here are some key characteristics that define lyric poetry:
From ancient odes to contemporary free verse, lyric poetry remains a beloved and enduring form, celebrated for its ability to articulate the nuances of human emotion in a way that resonates deeply with readers.