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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SUNSET CITY, by ISABEL ECCLESTONE MACKAY Poet's Biography
First Line: Sunset city lies along twilight's smooth, grey sea
Last Line: To the close of day!
Subject(s): Children; Childhood
First Line: Sunset city lies along twilight's smooth, grey sea
Last Line: To the close of day!
Subject(s): Children; Childhood
SUNSET CITY lies along Twilight's smooth, grey sea,
And a river wanders there,
Flowing from no man knows where—
Swiftly, silently!
Glitt'ring palaces outline where the river flows,
Citadels without a name
Silhouette their towers in flame—
Crimson, gold and rose.
Quiet streets wind up and up to a magic height,
And the wond'ring eyes behold
Pavements of aerial gold
Delicate as light.
From the stately battlements banners flaunt and fall,
Lances gleam and pennons float,
(Hark! was that a bugle note?
Or a wild bird's call?)
Stately galleons anchor there in the Twilight sea,
Tyrian purple are their sails
And their decks are piled with bales
Wonderful to see.
Why these silent fleets sail in none has ever said—
Do the fairies come to buy
When the stars are in the sky
And we're safe in bed?
Ah, if you would answer that, you must find the way
To this lovely Sunset Town
With the river winding down
To the close of Day!
Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!
Other Poems of Interest...
THE THREE CHILDREN by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN
CHILDREN SELECTING BOOKS IN A LIBRARY by RANDALL JARRELL
COME TO THE STONE ... by RANDALL JARRELL
THE LOST WORLD by RANDALL JARRELL
A SICK CHILD by RANDALL JARRELL
CONTINENT'S END by ROBINSON JEFFERS
ON THE DEATH OF FRIENDS IN CHILDHOOD by DONALD JUSTICE
THE POET AT SEVEN by DONALD JUSTICE
A CHRISTMAS CHILD by ISABEL ECCLESTONE MACKAY