Author: Madison Julius Cawein

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I.

    Clad on with glowing beauty and the peace,
    Benign, of calm maturity, she stands
    Among her meadows and her orchard-lands,
    And on her mellowing gardens and her trees,
    Out of the ripe abundance of her hands
    Bestows increase
    And fruitfulness, as, wrapped in sunny ease,
    Blue-eyed and blonde she goes
    Upon her bosom Summer's richest rose.

II.

    And he who follows where her footsteps lead,
    By hill and rock, by forest-side and stream,
    Shall glimpse the glory of her visible dream,
    In flower and fruit, in rounded nut and seed:
    She, in whose path the very shadows gleam;
    Whose humblest weed
    Seems lovelier than June's loveliest flower, indeed,
    And sweeter to the smell
    Than April's self within a rainy dell.

III.

    Hers is a sumptuous simplicity
    Within the fair Republic of her flowers,
    Where you may see her standing hours on hours,
    Breast-deep in gold, soft-holding up a bee
    To her hushed ear; or sitting under bowers
    Of greenery,
    A butterfly a-tilt upon her knee;
    Or lounging on her hip,
    Dancing a cricket on her finger-tip.

IV.

    Ay, let me breathe hot scents that tell of you;
    The hoary catnip and the meadow-mint,
    On which the honour of your touch doth print
    Itself as odour. Let me drink the hue
    Of iron-weed and mist-flow'r here that hint,
    With purple and blue,
    The rapture that your presence doth imbue
    Their inmost essence with,
    Immortal though as transient as a myth.

V.

    Yea, let me feed on sounds that still assure
    Me where you hide: the brooks', whose happy din
    Tells where, the deep retired woods within,
    Disrobed, you bathe; the birds', whose drowsy lure
    Tells where you slumber, your warm nestling chin
    Soft on the pure,
    Pink cushion of your palm.. .    What better cure
    For care and memory's ache
    Than to behold you so, and watch you wake!

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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 vivid exploration of the theme of nature and its inherent beauty, painted through the metaphorical depiction of a woman interacting with her natural surroundings. The poet employs rich imagery and personification to bring the natural world to life, attributing human characteristics to it, and thus creating an intimate connection between humanity and nature.

The poem is structured into five stanzas, each with a distinct focus but all contributing to the unified picture of the woman’s interaction with nature. The tone of the poem is one of reverence and admiration, evoking a sense of peace and tranquility. The poet’s use of sensory language, such as "hot scents," "the hoary catnip and the meadow-mint," and "sounds that still assure," immerses the reader in the scene, allowing them to experience the beauty and tranquility of nature firsthand. The poet's use of color - "blue-eyed and blonde," "purple and blue," "pink cushion" - further enhances the vividness of the imagery.

The repetition of "let me" in the fourth and fifth stanzas underlines the poet's longing to be part of this natural world, to understand and experience it as the woman does. It's a powerful testament to the allure of nature and its restorative, inspirational power. In essence, this poem is not just a celebration of nature's beauty, but also an exploration of our deep, inherent connection to the natural world.