Her Vesper Song

By Madison Julius Cawein

Lyric Poem
    The Summer lightning comes and goes     In one pale cloud above the hill,     As if within its soft repose     A burning heart were never still -     As in my bosom pulses beat     Before the coming of his feet.     All drugged with odorous sleep, the rose     Breathes dewy balm about the place,     As if the dreams the garden knows     Took immaterial form and face -     As in my heart sweet thoughts arise     Beneath the ardour of his eyes.     The moon above the darkness shows     An orb of silvery snow and fire,     As if the night would now disclose     To heav'n her one divine desire -     As in the rapture of his kiss     All of my soul is drawn to his.     The cloud, it knows not that it glows;     The rose knows nothing of its scent;     Nor knows the moon that it bestows     Light on our earth and firmament -     So is the soul unconscious of     The beauties it reveals through LOVE.

Share & Analyze This Poem

Spread the beauty of poetry or dive deeper into analysis

Analyze This Poem

Discover the literary devices, structure, and deeper meaning

Create Image

Transform this poem into a beautiful shareable image

Copy to Clipboard

Save this poem for personal use or sharing offline

Share the Love of Poetry
More Poems
More Lyric Poems
Daily Poem

Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem is a beautiful exploration of love and nature, intertwining them in a way that the former is reflected in the latter. The poet uses imagery of a summer's evening - lightning, a rose, the moon - to mirror their emotional state, creating a sense of unity between their feelings and the world around them. This personification of nature serves to deepen the intensity of the love the speaker feels, amplifying it through the grandeur and beauty of natural phenomena.

The poem is structured in a consistent pattern of six-line stanzas, each ending with a reference to the speaker's beloved and the transformative power of their love. The use of anaphora, the repetition of phrases like "as if" and "as in," creates a rhythmic flow, while also highlighting the comparison between the speaker's emotions and the natural world. The concluding stanza effectively circles back to the initial theme, underlining the idea that love, like nature, is a force beyond conscious comprehension, but one that brings beauty and light into the world. The capitalization of "LOVE" in the last line underscores its importance and the power it holds in the speaker's life. The poem's tone, simultaneously dreamy and passionate, invites readers to not only observe this personal revelation but to feel the depth of emotion that resonates within it.

Exploring Lyric Poetry

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:

  • Expressive Language: Lyric poems use rich and evocative language to convey deep emotions, often painting a vivid picture of the poet's inner world.
  • Personal Perspective: Typically written in the first person, these poems offer a window into the poet's personal experiences, thoughts, and reflections.
  • Musicality: Lyric poems often feature a rhythmic structure, with meter and rhyme that give them a song-like quality, enhancing the emotional impact.

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.