James Russell Lowell From "Lowell's Poems" Forgetfulness
I.
There's a haven of sure rest __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ From the loud world's bewildering stress: __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ As a bird dreaming on her nest, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ As dew hid in a rose's breast, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ As Hesper in the flowing West; __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ So the heart sleeps __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ In thy calm deeps, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Serene Forgetfulness! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ II. No sorrow in that place may be, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ The noise of life grows less and less: __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ As moss far down within the sea, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ As, in white lily caves, a bee, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ As life in hazy reverie; __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ So the heart's wave __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ In thy dim cave, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Hushes, Forgetfulness! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ III. Duty and care fade far away, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ What toil may be we cannot guess: __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ As a ship anchored in the bay, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ As a cloud at summer-noon astray, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ As water-blooms in a breezeless day, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ So neath thine eyes, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ The full heart lies, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ And dreams, Forgetfulness! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________========================================
Love-Song
I.
Nearer to thy mother-heart, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Simple Nature, press me, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Let me know thee as thou art, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Fill my soul and bless me! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ I have loved thee long and well, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ I have loved thee heartily; __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Shall I never with thee dwell, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Never be at one with thee? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ II. Inward, inward to thy heart, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Kindly Nature, take me, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Lovely even as thou art, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Full of loving make me! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Thou knowest naught of dead-cold forms, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Knowest naught of littleness, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Lifeful Truth thy being warms, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Majesty and earnestness. __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ III. Homeward, homeward to thy heart, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Dearest Nature, call me; __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Let no halfness, no mean part, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Any longer thrall me! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ I will be thy lover true, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Will be a faithful soul, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Then circle me, then look me through, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Fill me with the mighty Whole. __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________========================================
A Feeling
I.
The flowers and the grass to me __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Are eloquent reproachfully; __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ For would they wave so pleasantly __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Or look so fresh and fair, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ If a man, cunning, hollow, mean, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Or one in anywise unclean, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Were looking on them there? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ II. No; he hath grown so foolish-wise __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ He cannot see with childhood's eyes; __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ He hath forgot that purity __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ And lowliness which are the key __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Of Nature's mysteries; __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ No; he hath wandered off so long __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ From his own place of birth, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ That he hath lost his mother-tongue, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ And, like one come from far off lands, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Forgetting and forgot, he stands __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Beside his mother's hearth.========================================
The Fatherland
I.
Where is the true man's fatherland? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Is it where he by chance is born? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Doth not the free-winged spirit scorn __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ In such pent borders to be spanned? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Oh yes, his fatherland must be __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ As the blue heavens wide and free! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ II. Is it alone where freedom is, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Where God is God and man is man? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Doth he not claim a broader span __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ For the soul's love of home than this? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Oh yes! his fatherland must be __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ As the blue heavens wide and free! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ III. Where'er a human heart doth wear __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Joy's myrtle wreath, or sorrow's gyves, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Where'er a human spirit strives __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ After a life more pure and fair, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ This is the true man's birthplace grand! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ His is a world-wide fatherland! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ IV. Where'er a single slave doth pine, __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Where'er one man may help another - __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Thank God for such a birthright, brother! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ That spot on earth is thine and mine; __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ There is the true man's birthplace grand! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ His is a world-wide fatherland! __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________Compliments of www.easyhomeschooling.com Visit for more FREE Copywork, Articles, and Checklists