Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox

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    Dear love, if you and I could sail away,
        With snowy pennons to the winds unfurled,
    Across the waters of some unknown bay,
        And find some island far from all the world;

    If we could dwell there, ever more alone,
        While unrecorded years slip by apace,
    Forgetting and forgotten and unknown
        By aught save native song-birds of the place;

    If Winter never visited that land,
        And Summer's lap spilled o'er with fruits and flowers,
    And tropic trees cast shade on every hand,
        And twind boughs formed sleep-inviting bowers;

    If from the fashions of the world set free,
        And hid away from all its jealous strife,
    I lived alone for you, and you for me - 
        Ah! then, dear love, how sweet were wedded life.

    But since we dwell here in the crowded way,
        Where hurrying throngs rush by to seek for gold,
    And all is common-place and work-a-day,
        As soon as love's young honeymoon grows old;

    Since fashion rules and nature yields to art,
        And life is hurt by daily jar and fret,
    'Tis best to shut such dreams down in the heart
        And go our ways alone, love, and forget.

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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 heartfelt exploration of love, escapism, and the contrast between the ideal and the harsh realities of life. The central theme is a romantic longing for isolation with a loved one, away from the complications and struggles of the normal world. The tone is wistful and melancholic, shifting from a dreamy, idyllic vision in the first three stanzas to a somber acceptance of reality in the last three.

The poem follows a consistent structure, with each four-line stanza following an ABAB rhyme scheme, creating a rhythm that adds to the dreamy quality of the poem. The poet uses vivid and evocative imagery to depict the imagined paradise, with "snowy pennons to the winds unfurled," "tropic trees cast[ing] shade on every hand," and "twind boughs form[ing] sleep-inviting bowers," lending a lush, almost Edenic quality to the vision.

However, the stark contrast between this idealized world and the reality of "the crowded way," where "all is commonplace and work-a-day," serves as a poignant reminder of the disappointments and complexities of real life. The repeated use of "if" at the beginning of each dreamy stanza underscores the hypothetical nature of this vision and foreshadows the eventual return to reality.

In the end, the poem offers a somewhat pessimistic view of love in the real world, suggesting that it is best to "shut such dreams down in the heart" and continue alone, implying that the harsh realities of life can often overshadow the beauty of romantic love. This serves as a contemplative commentary on the discord between romantic ideals and the practicalities of life.