My Romance

By Madison Julius Cawein

Lyric Poem
    If it so befalls that the midnight hovers     In mist no moonlight breaks,     The leagues of the years my spirit covers,     And my self myself forsakes.     And I live in a land of stars and flowers,     White cliffs by a silvery sea;     And the pearly points of her opal towers     From the mountains beckon me.     And I think that I know that I hear her calling     From a casement bathed with light -     Through music of waters in waters falling     Mid palms from a mountain height.     And I feel that I think my love's awaited     By the romance of her charms;     That her feet are early and mine belated     In a world that chains my arms.     But I break my chains and the rest is easy -     In the shadow of the rose,     Snow-white, that blooms in her garden breezy,     We meet and no one knows.     And we dream sweet dreams and kiss sweet kisses;     The world - it may live or die!     The world that forgets; that never misses     The life that has long gone by.     We speak old vows that have long been spoken;     And weep a long-gone woe:     For you must know our hearts were broken     Hundreds of years ago.

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
The poem is an exploration of time, longing, and love, wrapped in evocative imagery and a dream-like atmosphere. The speaker's journey through time, "the leagues of the years my spirit covers," suggests a sense of dislocation, a soul unmoored from the constraints of linear time. This theme of timelessness is heightened by the recurring motif of the natural world, with stars, flowers, cliffs, sea, and mountains serving as constant, unchanging backdrops for the speaker's spiritual journey.

The tone of the poem is one of longing and hopeful anticipation, with the speaker yearning for a reunion with a lost love. The use of repetition, especially in the lines "And I think that I know that I hear her calling" and "And I feel that I think my love's awaited," creates a rhythm of longing and expectation. The structure of the poem, with its regular rhyme scheme and meter, helps to underline this rhythm. The penultimate stanza, where the speaker breaks free from his chains, marks a shift in tone from longing to fulfillment, with the meeting with the loved one serving as the climax of the poem. The final stanza returns to the theme of timelessness, suggesting that their love story is a tale as old as time itself, a cycle of love and loss that repeats throughout the ages.

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.