Author: Madison Julius Cawein

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    An antique mirror this,
     I like it not at all,
    In this lonely room where the goblin gloom
     Scowls from the arrased wall.

    A mystic mirror framed
     In ebon, wildly carved;
    And the prisoned air in the crevice there
     Moans like a man that's starved.

    A truthful mirror where,
     In the broad, chaste light of day,
    From the window's arches, like fairy torches,
     Red roses swing and sway.

    They blush and bow and gaze,
     Proud beauties desolate,
    In their tresses cold the sunlight's gold,
     In their hearts a jealous hate.

    A small green worm that gnaws,
     For the nightingale that low
    Each eve doth rave, the passionate slave
     Of the wild white rose below.

    The night-bird wails below;
     The stars creep out above;
    And the roses soon in the sultry moon
     Shall palpitate with love.

    The night-bird sobs below;
     The roses blow and bloom;
    Thro' the diamond panes the moonlight rains
     In the dim unholy room.

    Ancestors grim that stare
     Stiff, starched, and haughty down
    From the oaken wall of the noble hall
     Put on a sterner frown.

    The old, bleak castle clock
     Booms midnight overhead,
    And the rose is wan and the bird is gone
     When walk the shrouded dead.

    And grim ancestors gaunt
     In smiles and tears faint flit;
    By the mirror there they stand and stare,
     And weep and sigh to it.

    In rare, rich ermine earls
     With rapiers jeweled rare,
    With a powdered throng of courtiers long
     Pass with stiff and stately air.

    With diamonds and perfumes
     In ruff and golden lace,
    Tall ladies pass by the looking-glass,
     Each sighing at her face.

    An awful mirror this,
     I like it not at all,
    In this lonely room where the goblin gloom
     Scowls from the arrased wall.

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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 evocative poem paints a gothic scene, combining elements of the supernatural with human sentiments. The poem is steeped in a haunting, melancholic tone, and the theme of loneliness is consistently conveyed. The poet uses an antique mirror as a central symbol, hinting at the idea of reflection — literal and metaphorical — and the weight of history. The mirror is characterized with human emotions – it is 'truthful', 'awful', and 'mystic'.

The poem's structure alternates between descriptions of the mirror and what it reflects: the 'lonely room', the 'grim ancestors', the 'roses', and 'the night-bird'. The rhythm and the rhyming scheme (abab) lend the poem a song-like quality, enhancing its eerie atmosphere. The poet employs vivid imagery and metaphors throughout the poem. For instance, the 'goblin gloom' and 'arrased wall' create an intense, dark atmosphere, while the roses 'blushing' and 'swaying' lend an air of romantic melancholy.

The poet also uses contrast effectively, particularly between light and dark, symbolizing life and death, and the living and the spectral. The 'broad, chaste light of day' versus the 'sultry moon', and the lively 'roses' versus the 'shrouded dead' are notable examples. Such contrasts serve to heighten the sense of unease and melancholy in the poem. The recurrent mention of the 'lonely room' and the 'goblin gloom' underscores the theme of solitude and the chilling presence of the supernatural. The poem is a chilling exploration of the past's haunting presence, the passage of time, and unfulfilled desires.