Before the day the gleaming dawn doth flee:–
All yesternight I had a dreary dream:
Methought I walked in desert Academe
Among fallen pillars; and there came to me
All in a dim half–twilight silently
A very sad old man: his eyes were red
With over–weeping: and he cried and said,
“The light hath risen, but shineth not on me.”
Beautiful Athens, all thy loveliness
Is like the scarce–remembered burst of spring
When now the summer in her party–dress
Hath clothed the woods, and filled each living thing
With ripest joy: because upon our time
Hath risen the noon, and thou wert in the prime.
(Henry Alford)
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, Light Poems, Joy & Excitement Poems, Dreams Poems, Beauty Poems, Spring Poems, Summer PoemsBased on Keywords: ripest, academe, scarce-remembered