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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
FRAGMENT, by GIACOMO LEOPARDI Poet's Biography First Line: Many a night I muse upon this shore Last Line: Pity or scorn, I know not which prevails. | |||
MANY a night I muse upon this shore: And high above the varied plain I see In the pure blue of heaven the flickering stars, Glassed by the sea, and in the vault serene They shine out scintillant around the world. Steadfast I gaze upon those lights of heaven, Which to mine eyes appear but points of flame, And yet, in truth, are such stupendous worlds, That unto them this earth is but a point. Yea, unto them, not only man himself, But all this great globe, whereon man is naught, Is utterly unknown. And when I see Clusters of stars, which unto us are film, To which not only man, and this huge world, But all these infinite orbs and golden suns Are quite unknown, or else appear to them, As they to us, a track of nebulous light, Ah! then what seemest thou unto mine eyes, O race of man? And when I call to mind Thy state on earth, and then remember me That thou dost deem thyself the lord of all, And how thou dost presume to fable here (On this dark grain of sand we call the earth) Of the Creator of the universe; When I recall the dreams that even now Insult the wise, -- what feelings and what thoughts Rise in my heart, unhappy race of man! Pity or scorn, I know not which prevails. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO HIMSELF by GIACOMO LEOPARDI YOUNG LINCOLN by EDWIN MARKHAM NAPEOLON'S FAREWELL; FROM THE FRENCH by GEORGE GORDON BYRON BOLDNESS IN LOVE by THOMAS CAREW LIBERTY FOR ALL by WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON MY LADY'S PLEASURE by ROBERT GRAHAM ON AN INVITATION TO THE UNITED STATES by THOMAS HARDY SANDALPHON by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW TO JOHN KEATS; SONNET by AMY LOWELL THE HOUSE OF LIFE: 78. BODY'S BEAUTY by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI |
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