Faded Leaves

By Matthew Arnold

Lyric Poem
    I     THE RIVER     Still glides the stream, slow drops the boat     Under the rustling poplars shade;     Silent the swans beside us float     None speaks, none heeds, ah, turn thy head.     Let those arch eyes now softly shine,     That mocking mouth grow sweetly bland:     Ah, let them rest, those eyes, on mine;     On mine let rest that lovely hand.     My pent-up tears oppress my brain,     My heart is swoln with love unsaid:     Ah, let me weep, and tell my pain,     And on thy shoulder rest my head.     Before I die, before the soul,     Which now is mine, must re-attain     Immunity from my control,     And wander round the world again:     Before this teasd oerlabourd heart     For ever leaves its vain employ,     Dead to its deep habitual smart,     And dead to hopes of future joy.     II     TOO LATE     Each on his own strict line we move,     And some find death ere they find love.     So far apart their lives are thrown     From the twin soul that halves their own.     And sometimes, by still harder fate,     The lovers meet, but meet too late.     , Thy heart is mine!, True, true! ah, true!     , Then, love, thy hand!, Ah, no! adieu!     III     SEPARATION     Stop, Not to me, at this bitter departing,     Speak of the sure consolations of Time.     Fresh be the wound, still-renewd be its smarting,     So but thy image endure in its prime.     But, if the stedfast commandment of Nature     Wills that remembrance should always decay;     If the lovd form and the deep-cherishd feature     Must, when unseen, from the soul fade away,     Me let no half-effacd memories cumber!     Fled, fled at once, be all vestige of thee,     Deep be the darkness, and still be the slumber,     Dead be the Past and its phantoms to me!     Then, when we meet, and thy look strays towards me,     Scanning my face and the changes wrought there,,     Who, let me say, is this Stranger regards me,     With the grey eyes, and the lovely brown hair?     IV     ON THE RHINE     Vain is the effort to forget.     Some day I shall be cold, I know,     As is the eternal moon-lit snow     Of the high Alps, to which I go:     But ah, not yet! not yet!     Vain is the agony of grief.     Tis true, indeed, an iron knot     Ties straitly up from mine thy lot,     And were it snapt, thou lovst me not!     But is despair relief?     Awhile let me with thought have done;     And as this brimmd unwrinkled Rhine     And that far purple mountain line     Lie sweetly in the look divine     Of the slow-sinking sun;     So let me lie, and calm as they     Let beam upon my inward view     Those eyes of deep, soft, lucent hue,     Eyes too expressive to be blue,     Too lovely to be grey.     Ah Quiet, all things feel thy balm!     Those blue hills too, this rivers flow,     Were restless once, but long ago.     Tamd is their turbulent youthful glow:     Their joy is in their calm.     V     LONGING     Come to me in my dreams, and then     By day I shall be well again!     For so the night will more than pay     The hopeless longing of the day.     Come, as thou camst a thousand times,     A messenger from radiant climes,     And smile on thy new world, and be     As kind to others as to me!     Or, as thou never camst in sooth,     Come now, and let me dream it truth,     And part my hair, and kiss my brow,     And say, My love! why sufferest thou?     Come to me in my dreams, and then     By day I shall be well again!     For so the night will more than pay     The hopeless longing of the day.

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem is a profound exploration of love, loss, memory, and sorrow. The poet weaves a delicate narrative through five sections, each highlighting a different facet of the human emotional experience. The themes are timeless, universal, and deeply relatable, speaking to the reader on an intimate level.

The poem oscillates between a sense of longing and despair. In the first section, the poet pines for the object of his affection, expressing a deep-seated yearning that feels almost unbearable. The tone is melancholic, the pace unhurried, mirroring the languid flow of the river. The imagery of the swans and the river create a serene, yet somber atmosphere, enhancing the theme of unrequited love.

Following sections introduce themes of fate, separation, and the passage of time. The poet laments the circumstances that keep him and his beloved apart, creating a sense of tragic inevitability. The personification of Time and Nature as arbiters of love and memory further adds to the pathos. The poet's portrayal of memory is particularly poignant, expressing a desire for total oblivion if the cherished memories of his love are to fade away.

In the final sections, the poet grapples with his inability to forget and his desperate longing for his beloved's return - even if only in dreams. The symbolic use of the Rhine and the Alps reflects the poet's internal turmoil and his yearning for tranquility. The use of apostrophe in these sections, addressing his beloved directly, makes the emotional agony more palpable.

Throughout the poem, the poet employs masterful rhyme and rhythm, creating a musical quality that complements the emotive content. The repetition of certain phrases, such as "Come to me in my dreams," serves to emphasize the depth of the poet's longing. The poem is a testament to the power of love and the pain of its loss, offering a deeply moving exploration of human emotion.

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.