My heart, I cannot still it,
Nest that had song-birds in it;
And when the last shall go,
The dreary days to fill it,
Instead of lark or linnet,
Shall whirl dead leaves and snow.
Had they been swallows only,
Without the passion stronger
That skyward longs and sings,—
Woe's me, I shall be lonely
When I can feel no longer
The impatience of their wings!
A moment, sweet delusion,
Like birds the brown leaves hover;
But it will not be long
Before their wild confusion
Fall wavering down to cover
The poet and his song.
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Response to Prose and Poetry
From guest Char (contact)
Although this can be related to the loss of children, the larks and linnets symbolize the poetry and the swallows (and even the leaves in the end) symbolize the Prose. Lowell is saying how he has a passion for poetry (larks)that cannot be replaced by prose (swallows/leaves), and still have the same effect on him as poetry. He is sad because he cannot feel the same feelings that poetry gave him. In the end it says that he was pleasantly fooled by the prose for only a moment but they soon could not hold the same characteristics and passion as poetry. He is saddened even greater. -
Beautiful but sad
To me the poet is lamenting the loss of children (song-birds) from a home (nest).
The warmth of a home has became merely a house, the rich leaved tree of summer and autumm has become the lonely framework in winter.
The swallows reference, for me, indicates that now the children have left they will not return again as swallows return to a location each year. The parent will be lonely when he can no longer hear the squabbles of growing children.
The last lines are saddest of all since to me they represent the poet thinking about his death and burial.
Jim -
From guest CAB (contact)
During this poem, the author is saying something about the difference of prose and poetry. I'm just a little confused on what that is...does anyone know? -
litreray device
From guest kris (contact)
can anyone tell me the literary devices forr this poem?
a metaphor or something?
MOD MESSAGE
That sounds like you want us to do your homework!! -
The title of this poem caught my eye. Unknown of Feb. 8 made an interesting comment, and in reading the poem, I believe he (or she)is correct that the poem is filled with loss/grief. The title (use freedictionary.com for further clarity of the term) deals with omens. Lowell compares the leaves to birds and loss so well in this poem. Lines 11-13 are so true: we miss what we don't have any longer. Lowell realizes that all the energy and noise that were present in his home are leaving him, and he will be alone. I've included a varient definition of the title:
aus·pi·ces (ôsp-sz)
An augur of ancient Rome, especially one who interpreted omens derived from the observation of birds. -
the return of fall and the departure of song birds saddens him. he loves their music, but when they leave he is lonely again. for a moment the leaves look like the flapping of wings and he thinks the birds (and their songs..) may return. but they have not. his poetry is characterized by loss due to the death of one of his daughters.
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can anyone paraphrase this one?
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