Author: Madison Julius Cawein

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             I.

    White moons may come, white moons may go,
    She sleeps where wild wood blossoms blow,
    Nor knows she of the rosy June,
    Star-silver flowers o'er her strewn,
    The pearly paleness of the moon, - 
        Alas! how should she know!


             II.

    The downy moth at evening comes
    To suck thin honey from wet blooms;
    Long, lazy clouds that swimming high
    Brood white about the western sky,
    Grow red as molten iron and lie
        Above the fragrant glooms.


             III.

    Rare odors of the weed and fern,
    Dry whisp'rings of dim leaves that turn,
    A sound of hidden waters lone
    Frothed bubbling down the streaming stone,
    And now a wood-dove's plaintive moan
        Drift from the bushy burne.


             IV.

    Her garden where deep lilacs blew,
    Where on old walls old roses grew
    Head-heavy with their mellow musk,
    Where, when the beetle's drone was husk,
    She lingered in the dying dusk,
        No more shall know that knew.


             V.

    When orchards, courting the wan Spring,
    Starred robes of buds around them fling,
    Their beauty now to her is naught,
    Once a sweet passion, when she fraught
    Dark curls with blooms that nodding caught
        Impulse from the bee's wing.


             VI.

    White moons may come, white moons may go,
    She sleeps where wildwood blossoms blow;
    Cares naught for fairy fern or weed,
    White wand'rings of the plumy seed,
    Of hart or hind she takes no heed;
        Alas! her head lies low!

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Type of Poem: Elegy

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem demonstrates a thoughtful exploration of the themes of change, death, and the enduring nature of the natural world. The speaker presents the image of a woman, perhaps once loved, who now rests eternally "where wild wood blossoms blow." This recurrent line, as well as the repetition of "white moons may come, white moons may go," suggests the endless cycle of life and death contrasted with human mortality.

The poem utilizes vivid and lush imagery, painting a picture of the natural world that is both beautiful and melancholic. The tone is predominantly one of longing and sorrow, emphasized by the refrain "Alas! how should she know! / Alas! her head lies low!" The poet's use of alliteration, assonance, and internal rhyme contributes to the rhythm and musicality of the poem, giving it a lyrical, almost song-like quality.

The structure of the poem, divided into six stanzas, allows for a gradual progression of thought. It starts with the acknowledgment of the woman's obliviousness to the changing moons and seasons, moves through detailed descriptions of nature's beauty and the woman's past, and ends with a lamentation of her current state. This cyclical pattern mirrors the natural cycles referenced throughout the poem, reinforcing the theme of life's transience contrasted with nature's persistence.

The standout literary device in this poem is the use of metaphor. The woman's obliviousness to nature's beauty symbolizes the finality of death, while nature's continuous cycle serves as a stark reminder of life's ephemeral quality. The poet's careful word choice and intricate imagery create a poignant meditation on the inevitable passage of time and the enduring splendor of the world, even as individual lives come and go.