Author: Madison Julius Cawein

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             I.

    I see them still, when poring o'er
    Old volumes of romantic lore,
    Ride forth to hawk in days of yore,
     By woods and promontories;
    Knights in gold lace, plumes and gems,
    Maidens crowned with anadems, - 
    Whose falcons on round wrists of milk
    Sit in jesses green of silk, - 
     From bannered Miraflores.


             II.

    The laughing earth is young with dew;
    The deeps above are violet blue;
    And in the East a cloud or two
     Empearled with airy glories:
    And with laughter, jest and singing,
    Silver bells of falcons ringing,
    Hawkers, rosy with the dawn,
    Gayly ride o'er hill and lawn
     From courtly Miraflores.


             III.

    The torrents silver down the crags;
    Down dim-green vistas browse the stags;
    And from wet beds of reeds and flags
     The frightened lapwing hurries;
    And the brawny wild-boar peereth
    At the cavalcade that neareth;
    Oft his shaggy-throated grunt
    Brings the king and court to hunt
     At royal Miraflores.


             IV.

    The May itself in soft sea-green
    Is Oriana, Spring's high queen,
    And Amadis beside her seen
     Some prince of Fairy stones:
    Where her castle's ivied towers
    Drowse above her budded bowers,
    Flaps the heron thro' the sky,
    And the wild swan gives a cry
     By woody Miraflores.

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Type of Poem: Ballad

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem is steeped in a romantic and nostalgic atmosphere, with its vivid imagery painting a picture of an idealized past. The primary theme is a longing for a time of chivalry and courtly love, filled with knights, maidens, and grand hunting parties. The repeated mention of "Miraflores," a presumably grand and regal estate, anchors the poem in a specific, but possibly fictional or metaphorical, place.

The structure of the poem, divided into four stanzas, helps to shape the narrative, progressively unveiling the day from dawn until the high point of the hunt. The tone is one of whimsy and wistfulness, reinforced by the use of archaic language and romantic, colourful imagery. The literary device of repetition, particularly "Miraflores," serves to emphasize the importance of this place in the narrator's romantic recollections. The poem is rich in visual imagery, which not only brings the scenes to life but also appeals to the reader's senses. For instance, the phrases "the deeps above are violet blue," "silver down the crags," and "soft sea-green" create a lush, vibrant tableau in the reader's mind.

This poem seems to reflect not just a yearning for a bygone era, but also a celebration of nature's beauty and life's simple pleasures, such as laughter, jest, singing, and the sense of camaraderie and excitement that a communal hunt brings. This could be interpreted as the poet's critique of the modern world, perhaps viewed as lacking these virtues and pleasures.