65 Such sunshine seemed to glitter through his veins Instead of blood, so light he felt and strange. Young Rhœcus had a faithful heart But one that in the present dwelt too much, e'er 95 Chance gave of joy, was wholly bound in that, Like the contented peasant of a vale, So, haply meeting in the afternoon 100 bold, Answered: "What is there that can satisfy The endless craving of the soul but love? Give me thy love, or but the hope of that Which must be evermore my spirit's goal." After a little pause she said again, But with a glimpse of sadness in her tone, "I give it, Rhœcus, though a perilous gift; An hour before the sunset meet me here." And straightway there was nothing he That buzzed about his ear with down 70 The dice were rattling at the merriest, And Rhœcus, who had met but sorry luck, Just laughed in triumph at a happy throw, When through the room there hummed a yellow bee 105 could see dropped legs Quite spent and out of breath he reached the tree, And, listening fearfully, he heard once more 125 The low voice murmur "Rhœcus!" close at hand; see Whereat he looked around him, but could Naught but the deepening glooms beneath the oak. Then sighed the voice: "Oh, Rhœcus! nevermore Shalt thou behold me or by day or night, 130 Me, who would fain have blessed thee with a love More ripe and bounteous than ever yet We spirits only show to gentle eyes, 135 Beauty was all around him and delight, 115. Thessaly, one of the divisions of ancient Greece. 138-9. Compare with "The Ancient Mariner," stanza CXL. NOTES AND QUESTIONS 1. Judging from the first line of the poem. what is the nature of the story following the introduction? Why is ignorance represented as resting upon "slothful down"? What does the poet say of each form of worship adopted by men? How much of truth does he say is shown to the minds of all races? 2. What poems have you studied in which something in Nature brings home a great truth -in which trees or flowers direct the thoughts to higher things? 3. What does the first act of Rhoæcus tell you as to the kind of young man he was? Describe what he saw as he turned to answer the voice. Why was his wish a natural one? Read aloud the lines that tell of Rhecus's great happiness. 4. What does the striking of the bee tell you about Rhœcus? How is his apparent for getfulness explained? Read aloud the Dryad's Make thee to shudder and grow sick at reproach. What meaning do you see for others besides Rhœcus in the lines "And he who scorns the least of Nature's works Is thenceforth exiled and shut out from all"? 5. Read the description given each time the Dryad disappeared. Does the poet make you feel sorry for Rhœcus? Does he make you feel that Rhœcus's punishment was deserved? Why could he not be given another chance? heart Go forth, under the open sky, and list 14 To Nature's teachings, while from all TREES AND THE MASTER SIDNEY LANIER Nor in the embrace of ocean shall exist Thy image. Earth, that nourished thee, Out of the woods my Master came, Content with death and shame. Shall send his roots abroad and pierce thy mold. When Death and Shame would woo Him Yet not to thine eternal resting-place 30 last, From under the trees they drew Him, last, Shalt thou retire alone; nor couldst thou wish 'Twas on a tree they slew him-last, When out of the woods He came. Couch more magnificent. Thou shalt lie down With patriarchs of the infant world-with kings, house The globe are but a handful to the tribes That slumber in its bosom. Take the wings Of morning, pierce the Barcan wilderness, Or lose thyself in the continuous woods Where rolls the Oregon, and hears no sound Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch 50 51. Barcan, along the river Barca in Africa. 53. Oregon, the river now called the Columbia. About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. NOTES AND QUESTIONS 1. Name some of the "visible forms" of Nature. What does Bryant say Nature does for those who love her? What does he mean? 2. What is meant by "the last bitter hour," line 9? To what does the poet advise us to listen when the thought of death seems terrible? Who will be able to hear this still voice? 3. In the twelfth chapter of Ecclesiastes we read, "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God Who gave it." Read lines from "Thanatopsis" which show that the poet was thinking of the first part of this quotation. What lines tell of those lying in that "mighty sepulcher"? 4. To make us understand that death is everywhere, the poet says that the earth is a tomb; what things are the decorations of this tomb? What comparison does the poet make between the number of the living and the number of the dead? Why does he mention the Barcan wilderness and the region of the Oregon River as having their dead? 5. In what lines does the call to action come? To what kind of life does the poet urge us? Why? What kind of action will make such a life? Class Reading. Bring to class and read "Crossing the Bar," Tennyson; "Requiem," Stevenson. UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE (A Song from As You Like It) WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Under the greenwood tree Come hither, come hither, come hither; 5 But winter and rough weather. Who doth ambition shun But winter and rough weather. 10 15 SEAWEED HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW When descends on the Atlantic The gigantic Stormwind of the equinox, Landward in his wrath he scourges The toiling surges, Laden with seaweed from the rocks: From Bermuda's reefs; from edges Of sunken ledges In some far-off, bright Azore; From Bahama, and the dashing, Silver-flashing Surges of San Salvador; From the tumbling surf that buries Spars, uplifting On the desolate, rainy seas 5 10 15 Household words, no more depart. NOTES AND QUESTIONS 1. What brings in the seaweed? To what does "he" refer in the first stanza? What words make you feel the power of the stormwind? 2. Do you know the location of the far-off islands and foreign places that the poet mentions? Do you need to know in order to appreciate the poetry? Taken together, what do they represent? Where does the seaweed come to rest? 3. Notice how the second half of the poem repeats both the thought and the form of the first half, substituting for the "ocean" the "poet's soul," and drawing corresponding parallels to the end; point out what is compared to the storm; the seaweed; the far-off isles; the tropic lands; the wreck of ships; the restless sea; the coves and beaches. Which of the comparisons do you like best? 4. Do you like the short lines riming with the long lines? To appreciate this poem you need to read it aloud. Read it so as to get the best effect from the sound of the lines. Library Reading. "The Secret of the Sea," Longfellow; "The Three Fishers," Kingsley. 14. Orkneyan skerries, rocky islands (the Orkneys) to the north of Scotland. 15. Hebrides, group of islands west of Scotland. 35. Elysian, heavenly; from Elysiumin classic mythology, the dwelling place of the happy souls after death. 36. tropic clime, warm, rich imagination. |