A Midsummer Holiday:- II. A Haven

By Algernon Charles Swinburne

Rondeau
    East and north a waste of waters, south and west     Lonelier lands than dreams in sleep would feign to be,     When the soul goes forth on travel, and is prest     Round and compassed in with clouds that flash and flee     Dells without a streamlet, downs without a tree,     Cirques of hollow cliff that crumble, give their guest     Little hope, till hard at hand he pause, to see     Where the small town smiles, a warm still sea-side nest.     Many a lone long mile, by many a headlands crest,     Down by many a garden dear to bird and bee,     Up by many a sea-downs bare and breezy breast,     Winds the sandy strait of road where flowers run free.     Here along the deep steep lanes by field and lea     Knights have carolled, pilgrims chanted, on their quest,     Haply, ere a roof rose toward the bleak strands lee,     Where the small town smiles, a warm still sea-side nest.     Are the wild lands cursed perchance of time, or blest,     Sad with fear or glad with comfort of the sea?     Are the ruinous towers of churches fallen on rest     Watched of wanderers woful now, glad once as we,     When the night has all mens eyes and hearts in fee,     When the soul bows down dethroned and dispossest?     Yet must peace keep guard, by days and nights decree,     Where the small town smiles, a warm still sea-side nest.     Friend, the lonely land is bright for you and me     All its wild ways through: but this methinks is best,     Here to watch how kindly time and change agree     Where the small town smiles, a warm still sea-side nest.

Share & Analyze This Poem

Spread the beauty of poetry or dive deeper into analysis

Analyze This Poem

Discover the literary devices, structure, and deeper meaning

Create Image

Transform this poem into a beautiful shareable image

Copy to Clipboard

Save this poem for personal use or sharing offline

Share the Love of Poetry
More Poems
More Rondeaus
Daily Poem

Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem is a profound exploration of themes such as solitude, nature, and the comfort of familiarity. The poet employs vivid imagery to describe the diverse landscapes, contrasting "a waste of waters" with "lands lonelier than dreams", underscoring the inherent solitude of these places. This solitude is not presented negatively, but rather as a source of introspection and profound contemplation.

The poem's tone is largely contemplative and serene, fitting the journey the poem seems to trace. The speaker's journey through "dells without a streamlet, downs without a tree" is marked by a sense of awe and wonder at the wild, untouched beauty of the scenery. Amid this vastness and desolation, there is a warm, comforting presence of the "small town", a "sea-side nest" that provides respite, a symbol of community and human connection amidst the rugged, solitary expanse.

The poet uses a variety of literary devices, including repetition, to emphasize this sense of comfort and familiarity. The phrase "Where the small town smiles, a warm still sea-side nest" is repeated, marking it as a refuge amidst the wilderness. The poem's structure, with its regular rhyme scheme and rhythm, mirrors this sense of comforting predictability. The use of phrases like "Knights have carolled, pilgrims chanted" adds a historical depth, suggesting the town has been a haven for many before.

Overall, the poem is a meditation on the balance between the wild, untamed beauty of nature and the comforting familiarity of human connection, symbolized by the small town. It suggests that while we may wander and explore, there is a deep-seated human need for a place of rest and belonging.