Author: Edgar Allan Poe

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Once it smiled a silent dell
Where the people did not dwell;
They had gone unto the wars,
Trusting to the mild-eyed stars,
Nightly, from their azure towers,
To keep watch above the flowers,
In the midst of which all day
The red sun-light lazily lay,
Now each visitor shall confess
The sad valleys restlessness.
Nothing there is motionless, 
Nothing save the airs that brood
Over the magic solitude.
Ah, by no wind are stirred those trees
That palpitate like the chill seas
Around the misty Hebrides!
Ah, by no wind those clouds are driven
That rustle through the unquiet Heaven
Unceasingly, from morn till even,
Over the violets there that lie
In myriad types of the human eye, 
Over the lilies that wave
And weep above a nameless grave!
They wave:, from out their fragrant tops
Eternal dews come down in drops.
They weep:, from off their delicate stems
Perennial tears descend in gems.

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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 poignant examination of human mortality and nature's eternal cycle, set within a dynamic landscape that acts as a metaphor for life and death. The poet contrasts the tranquil, almost idyllic setting of the silent dell with the restive, melancholic present, hinting at the impermanence of human existence and the eternal nature of the cosmos.

The poem displays a mastery of imagery, with compelling symbols such as the "mild-eyed stars" and "nameless grave," which evoke both comfort and sorrow. The poem's tone is contemplative and melancholic, underscored by the constant motion in the valley and the unquiet heavens. The imagery of "trees that palpitate" and "clouds that rustle" lend an eerie restlessness that mirrors the human condition. The stars, flowers and lilies represent the cyclical nature of life and death, imbuing the poem with a sense of transcendence and continuity amidst loss.

The poet's use of anaphora, repeating "Ah, by no wind," stresses the supernatural, almost mystical aspect of this ceaseless motion, enhancing the poem's ethereal atmosphere. The recurring motifs of 'weeping' and 'waving' flowers serve as poignant symbols of mourning and resilience. The structure of the poem, with its rhythmic and rhyming scheme, adds to the overall harmonious yet melancholic atmosphere, effectively conveying the poem's themes.

Overall, the poem is a profound meditation on life, death, and the eternal cycle of nature, expressed through evocative imagery, rhythmic structure, and deeply emotive language. It leaves the reader with a sense of the fleeting nature of human existence contrasted with the timeless persistence of the natural world.