Emily Jane Brontë

[glenn]

see below for the correct version of the poem

[heartfelt7]

Beautiful poem. I cannot tell you how many times you guys have sent me to the dictionary, especially Aims with her five words (ha). I looked up Desiderium and could only find Disideratum, which means "something needed and wanted." That is a beautiful word. I will have to remember that!! Thank you for the poem.

[anirbas]

The best resource for looking up words, are dictionaries printed before the eighties, I have found. I used to have a Webster's printed in the sixties, that contained all kinds of words the one I bought in the early nineties for the kids did not have. Many words have been thrown out to make way for printing the definitions of slang and such. Online resources are deplorable as to the amount of content. Many words that were in my old dictionary are nowhere to be found online...I should have taken that Webster's printed in the sixties when I left Ivy's father...lol...It was his as a child, so, I left it...I miss it, terribly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[glenn]

Sabrina:

I can relate to your story about Webster's.

I have a copy of the compact edition of the Oxford English Dictionary that was printed back in the '80s. It is a marvellous resource, full of information you only rarely find elsewhere.

I often browse through the entries. I would never willingly part with that dictionary.

[glenn]

Okay, remember I told you about the grain of salt. Well, it appears I have only given part of the poem, which actually goes by the title, How Clear She Shines:


HOW CLEAR SHE SHINES

by: Emily Brontë (1818-1848)

How clear she shines! How quietly
I lie beneath her guardian light;
While heaven and earth are whispering me,
"To morrow, wake, but dream to-night."
Yes, Fancy, come, my Fairy love!
These throbbing temples softly kiss;
And bend my lonely couch above,
And bring me rest, and bring me bliss.

The world is going; dark world, adieu!
Grim world, conceal thee till the day;
The heart thou canst not all subdue
Must still resist, if thou delay!

Thy love I will not, will not share;
Thy hatred only wakes a smile;
Thy griefs may wound--thy wrongs may tear,
But, oh, thy lies shall ne'er beguile!
While gazing on the stars that glow
Above me, in that stormless sea,
I long to hope that all the woe
Creation knows, is held in thee!

And this shall be my dream to-night;
I'll think the heaven of glorious spheres
Is rolling on its course of light
In endless bliss, through endless years;
I'll think, there's not one world above,
Far as these straining eyes can see,
Where Wisdom ever laughed at Love,
Or Virtue crouched to Infamy;

Where, writhing 'neath the strokes of Fate,
The mangled wretch was forced to smile;
To match his patience 'gainst her hate,
His heart rebellious all the while.
Where Pleasure still will lead to wrong,
And helpless Reason warn in vain;
And Truth is weak, and Treachery strong;
And Joy the surest path to Pain;
And Peace, the lethargy of Grief;
And Hope, a phantom of the soul;
And Life, a labour, void and brief;
And Death, the despot of the whole!

*********************************

My apologies. I should have done some double-checking before I posted.

[glenn]

I edited the opening post to fix my error. The entire poem with the correct title can now be read above

[glenn]

Here is another selection by the same poet. I'm pretty sure I got this one right.


How beautiful the Earth is still ( June 2, 1845)

by Emily Jane Brontë



(Charlotte Brontë wrote "Never was better stuff penned." in the manuscript of this poem.)


How beautiful the Earth is still
To thee–how full of Happiness;
How little fraught with real ill
Or shadowy phantoms of distress;
How Spring can bring thee glory yet
And Summer win thee to forget
December's sullen time!
Why dost thou hold the treasure fast
Of youth's delight, when youth is past
And thou art near thy prime?

When those who were thy own compeers,
Equal in fortunes and in years,
Have seen their morning melt in tears,
To dull unlovely day;
Blest, had they died unproved and young
Before their hearts were wildly wrung,
Poor slaves, subdued by passions strong,
A weak and helpless prey!

"Because, I hoped while they enjoyed,
And by fulfilment, hope destroyed
As children hope, with trustful breast,
I waited Bliss and cherished Rest.

"A thoughtful Spirit taught me soon
That we must long till life be done;
That every phase of earthly joy
Will always fade and always cloy--

"This I foresaw, and would not chase
The fleeting treacheries,
But with firm foot and tranquil face
Held backward from the tempting race,
Gazed o'er the sands the waves efface
To the enduring seas–

"There cast my anchor of Desire
Deep in unknown Eternity;
Nor ever let my Spirit tire
With looking for What is to be.

"It is Hope's spell that glorifies
Like youth to my maturer eyes
All Nature's million mysteries--
The fearful and the fair–

"Hope soothes me in the griefs I know,
She lulls my pain for others' woe
And makes me strong to undergo
What I am born to bear.
"Glad comforter, will I not brave
Unawed the darkness of the grave?
Nay, smile to hear Death's billows rave,
My Guide, sustained by thee?

The more unjust seems present fate
The more my Spirit springs elate
Strong in thy strength, to anticipate
Rewarding Destiny!