Author: Madison Julius Cawein
With fall on fall, from wood to wood, The brook pours mossy music down Or is it, in the solitude, The murmur of a Faery town? A town of Elfland filled with bells And holiday of hurrying feet: Or traffic now, whose small sound swells, Now sinks from busy street to street. Whose Folk I often recognize In wingd things that hover 'round, Who to men's eyes assume disguise When on some elfin errand bound. The bee, that haunts the touchmenot, Big-bodied, making braggart din Is fairy brother to that sot, Jack Falstaff of the Boar's Head Inn. The dragonfly, whose wings of black Are mantle for his garb of green, Is Ancient to this other Jack, Another Pistol, long and lean. The butterfly, in royal tints, Is Hal, mad Hal, in cloth of gold, Who passes these, as once that Prince Passed his companions boon of old.
Type of Poem: Narrative Poem
Date Written:
Date Published:
Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Publisher:
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Comments/Notes: This poem offers an enchanting exploration of the natural world, refracted through the prism of imagination to evoke a sense of whimsy and wonder. The key themes include the transformation of the everyday into the magical and the interplay between reality and fantasy. The tone is playful, yet contemplative, as the poet guides the reader through a blend of the ordinary and the extraordinary.
The poem's structure consists of six quatrains with a consistent rhyme scheme, providing a rhythmic foundation that mimics the ebb and flow of the brook's "mossy music." This musical quality is further emphasized by the judicious use of alliteration and consonance, which serves to create a harmonious soundscape. The poet also employs metaphor effectively, transforming common insects into characters from Shakespeare's plays - the bee into Falstaff, the dragonfly into Pistol, and the butterfly into Prince Hal. This clever device not only injects a sense of humor into the poem but also highlights the theme of transformation and the blurring of boundaries between the real and the fantastical. Through this, the poet invites the reader to look beyond the mundane and discover the magic that lies within the everyday world.
Narrative poetry is a form of poetry that tells a story, often making use of the voices of a narrator and characters as well. Unlike lyric poetry, which focuses on emotions and thoughts, narrative poetry is dedicated to storytelling, weaving tales that captivate readers through plot and character development.
Narrative poems are unique in their ability to combine the depth of storytelling with the expressive qualities of poetry. Here are some defining characteristics:
From ancient epics like "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" to more modern narrative poems, this form continues to engage readers by blending the art of storytelling with the beauty and rhythm of poetry.