Author: Algernon Charles Swinburne

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    Thunder: the flesh quails, and the soul bows down.
    Night: east, west, south, and northward, very night
    Star upon struggling star strives into sight,
    Star after shuddering star the deep storms drown.
    The very throne of night, her very crown,
    A man lays hand on, and usurps her right
    Song from the highest of heavens imperious height
    Shoots, as a fire to smite some towering town.
    Rage, anguish, harrowing fear, heart-crazing crime,
    Make monstrous all the murderous face of Time
    Shown in the spheral orbit of a glass
    Revolving. Earth cries out from all her graves.
    Frail, on frail rafts, across wide-wallowing waves,
    Shapes here and there of child and mother pass.

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Type of Poem: Sonnet

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem is a vividly expressive exploration of existential dread and the human condition, employing the themes of nature's power, fear, and mortality. The tone is solemn and somewhat ominous, but also carries a sense of awe.

The structure of the poem is intricate, with a rhythm that mimics the turmoil and the tumultuous cycle of life and death it depicts. The poet uses rich and evocative imagery, deeply rooted in the natural world, to reflect human emotions and experiences. This is evident in phrases like "Thunder: the flesh quails, and the soul bows down", and "Frail, on frail rafts, across wide-wallowing waves, Shapes here and there of child and mother pass". The stars' struggle, the storm's fury, the earth crying out from her graves -- all serve as metaphors for human struggles, fears, and inevitable mortality.

The poem is filled with personification, ascribing human characteristics to nature and time. This is particularly seen in lines like "The very throne of night, her very crown" and "Make monstrous all the murderous face of Time". The poet uses this device to demonstrate the insignificance of human beings in the face of the universe's enormity and the relentless passage of time. The final two lines present a poignant image of vulnerability and precarious survival, encapsulating the human condition's fragility.