Author: Madison Julius Cawein

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    Soft and silken and silvery brown,
    In shoes of lichen and leafy gown,
    Little blue butterflies fluttering around her,
    Deep in the forest, afar from town,
    There where a stream came trickling down,
    I met with Silence, who wove a crown
    Of sleep whose mystery bound her.

    I gazed in her eyes, that were mossy green
    As the rain that pools in a hollow between
    The twisted roots of a tree that towers:
    And I saw the things that none has seen,
    That mean far more than facts may mean,
    The dreams, that are true, of an age that has been,
    That God has thought into flowers.

    I gazed on her lips, that were dewy gray
    As the mist that clings, at the close of day,
    To the wet hillside when the winds cease blowing;
    And I heard the things that none may say,
    That are holier far than the prayers we pray,
    The murmured music God breathes alway
    Through the hearts of all things growing.

    Soft and subtle and vapory white,
    In shoes of shadow and gown of light,
    Crimson poppies asleep around her,
    Far in the forest, beneath a height,
    I came on Slumber, who wove from night
    A wreath of silence, that, darkly bright,
    With its mystic beauty bound her.

    I looked in her face that was pale and still
    As the moon that rises above the hill
    Where the pines loom sombre as sorrow:
    And the things that all have known and will,
    I knew for a moment: the myths that fill
    And people the past of the soul and thrill
    Its hope with a far to-morrow.

    I heard her voice, that was strange with pain
    As a wind that whispers of wreck and rain
    To the leaves of the autumn rustling lonely:
    And I felt the things that are felt in vain
    By all the longings that haunt the brain
    Of man, that come and depart again
    And are part of his dreamings only.

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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 picturesque journey through a mystical forest, richly layered with themes of silence, introspection, nature, and the divine. The poet utilizes natural elements such as 'mossy green eyes,' 'dewy gray lips,' 'lichen shoes,' and 'leafy gowns' to personify the abstract entities of Silence and Slumber, drawing a beautiful parallel between the tranquility of nature and the quietude brought by silence and sleep. The poet employs the literary device of personification, to imbue these abstract concepts with a tangible, relatable presence.

The tone of the poem is contemplative and serene, encouraging the reader to delve into profound introspection. The structure follows a consistent rhythm and rhyme scheme, adding a musical quality that complements the poem's themes. The poet's use of vivid, sensory language and metaphors - 'murmured music God breathes alway', 'wreath of silence', 'myths that fill and people the past of the soul' - paints a vivid picture while also infusing the poem with a philosophical depth. These metaphors also signify the divine presence and its elusive, yet deeply personal interactions with humanity. The poem, in its entirety, is a beautifully woven tapestry of tranquility, mystery, and divine presence, deeply rooted in the natural world.