Author: Matthew Arnold

---

    A thousand knights have reind their steeds
    To watch this line of sand-hills run,
    Along the never silent Strait,
    To Calais glittering in the sun:

    To look toward Ardres Golden Field
    Across this wide arial plain,
    Which glows as if the Middle Age
    Were gorgeous upon earth again.

    Oh, that to share this famous scene
    I saw, upon the open sand,
    Thy lovely presence at my side,
    Thy shawl, thy look, thy smile, thy hand!

    How exquisite thy voice would come,
    My darling, on this lonely air!
    How sweetly would the fresh sea-breeze
    Shake loose some lock of soft brown hair!

    But now my glance but once hath roved
    Oer Calais and its famous plain;
    To Englands cliffs my gaze is turnd,
    Oer the blue Strait mine eyes I strain.

    Thou comest! Yes, the vessels cloud
    Hangs dark upon the rolling sea!
    Oh that yon seabirds wings were mine
    To win one instants glimpse of thee!

    I must not spring to grasp thy hand,
    To woo thy smile, to seek thine eye;
    But I may stand far off, and gaze,
    And watch thee pass unconscious by,

    And spell thy looks, and guess thy thoughts,
    Mixt with the idlers on the pier.
    Ah, might I always rest unseen,
    So I might have thee always near!

    To-morrow hurry through the fields
    Of Flanders to the storied Rhine!
    To-night those soft-fringed eyes shall close
    Beneath one roof, my queen! with mine.

---

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is a vivid and evocative exploration of longing and anticipation, beautifully interwoven with vivid geographical and historical references. The poet uses the backdrop of the "never silent Strait," and "Calais glittering in the sun" to set the stage for the emotions that unfold. Utilizing a classic romantic theme, the poem speaks to the anticipation of a lover's arrival, the yearning for their presence, and the profound joy their proximity brings, even when unnoticed.

The poem's structure hints at a journey, not just physically across lands, but emotionally, through the varying degrees of longing. The imagery of "a thousand knights" and "the Middle Age" gives the poem an air of chivalric love, while the consistent reference to nature and landscapes grounds the emotions in the real world. The longing is further heightened by the use of sensory details, such as the sound of the lover’s voice on the "lonely air" and the visual of the "soft brown hair" shaking loose in the sea breeze. The poet masterfully employs repetition, particularly in the final stanzas, to emphasize the depth of the protagonist's yearning and the joy of the impending reunion. The poem gracefully concludes with the satisfying image of sharing a roof, a powerful symbol of unity and togetherness.