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Contemplative, Algernon Charles Swinburne, in English Clear filters

ContemplativeAlgernon Charles Swinburne

Not A Child

'Not a child: I call myself a boy,' Says my king, with accent stern yet mild, Now nine years have brought him change of joy; 'Not a child.' How could reason be so far beguiled, Err so far from sense's safe employ, Stray so wide of truth, or run so wild? Seeing his face bent over book or toy, Child I called him, smiling: but he smiled Back, as one too high for vain annoy - Not a child. II. Not a child? alack the year! What should ail an undefiled Heart, that he would fain appear Not a child?
ContemplativeAlgernon Charles Swinburne

Birth And Death

Birth and death, twin-sister and twin-brother, Night and day, on all things that draw breath, Reign, while time keeps friends with one another Birth and death. Each brow-bound with flowers diverse of wreath, Heaven they hail as father, earth as mother, Faithful found above them and beneath. Smiles may lighten tears, and tears may smother Smiles, for all that joy or sorrow saith: Joy nor sorrow knows not from each other Birth and death.
ContemplativeAlgernon Charles Swinburne

Death And Birth

Death and birth should dwell not near together: Wealth keeps house not, even for shame, with dearth: Fate doth ill to link in one brief tether Death and birth. Harsh the yoke that binds them, strange the girth Seems that girds them each with each: yet whether Death be best, who knows, or life on earth? Ill the rose-red and the sable feather Blend in one crown's plume, as grief with mirth: Ill met still are warm and wintry weather, Death and birth.
ContemplativeAlgernon Charles Swinburne

A Flower-Piece By Fantin

Heart's ease or pansy, pleasure or thought, Which would the picture give us of these? Surely the heart that conceived it sought Heart's ease. Surely by glad and divine degrees The heart impelling the hand that wrought Wrought comfort here for a soul's disease. Deep flowers, with lustre and darkness fraught, From glass that gleams as the chill still seas Lean and lend for a heart distraught Heart's ease.
ContemplativeAlgernon Charles Swinburne

Time And Life

I. Time, thy name is sorrow, says the stricken Heart of life, laid waste with wasting flame Ere the change of things and thoughts requicken, Time, thy name. Girt about with shadow, blind and lame, Ghosts of things that smite and thoughts that sicken Hunt and hound thee down to death and shame. Eyes of hours whose paces halt or quicken Read in bloodred lines of loss and blame, Writ where cloud and darkness round it thicken, Time, thy name. II. Nay, but rest is born of me for healing, So might haply time, with voice represt, Speak: is grief the last gift of my dealing?
ContemplativeAlgernon Charles Swinburne

Hope and Fear

Beneath the shadow of dawn's aërial cope, With eyes enkindled as the sun's own sphere, Hope from the front of youth in godlike cheer Looks Godward, past the shades where blind men grope Round the dark door that prayers nor dreams can ope, And makes for joy the very darkness dear That gives her wide wings play; nor dreams that fear At noon may rise and pierce the heart of hope. Then, when the soul leaves off to dream and yearn, May truth first purge her eyesight to discern What, once being known, leaves time no power to appall; Till yoiuth at last, ere yet youth be not, learn The kind wise word that falls from years that fall-- "Hope thou not much, and fear thou not at all."
ContemplativeAlgernon Charles Swinburne

Blessed Among Women --To The Signora Cairoli

Blessed was she that bare, Hidden in flesh most fair, For all men's sake the likeness of all love; Holy that virgin's womb, The old record saith, on whom The glory of God alighted as a dove; Blessed, who brought to gracious birth The sweet-souled Saviour of a man-tormented earth.
ContemplativeAlgernon Charles Swinburne

Concord

Reconciled by death's mild hand, that giving Peace gives wisdom, not more strong than mild, Love beholds them, each without misgiving Reconciled. Each on earth alike of earth reviled, Hated, feared, derided, and forgiving, Each alike had heaven at heart, and smiled. Both bright names, clothed round with man's thanksgiving, Shine, twin stars above the storm-drifts piled, Dead and deathless, whom we saw not living Reconciled.
ContemplativeAlgernon Charles Swinburne

On the Death of Robert Browning

He held no dream worth waking; so he said, He who stands now on death's triumphal steep, Awakened out of life wherein we sleep And dream of what he knows and sees, being dead. But never death for him was dark or dread; "Look forth," he bade the soul, and fear not. Weep, All ye that trust not in his truth, and keep Vain memory's vision of a vanished head As all that lives of all that once was he Save that which lightens from his word; but we, Who, seeing the sunset-colored waters roll, Yet know the sun subdued not of the sea, Nor weep nor doubt that still the spirit is whole, And life and death but shadows of the soul.

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