Topic 64 of 84: Poems
Mon, Oct 19, 1998 (10:25) |
Mick Armitage (Mick1)
I'm surprised there hasn't been more about the Bronte's poetry on this conference before now. Firstly, I have to confess, I'm no expert on poetry, and usually gain little pleasure from reading it, but the following poem by Anne has always captivated me. Winifred Gerin, who has written biographies of all the Brontes, claims this to be a classic - and certainly Anne's best poem. I've read other remarks suggesting, that while it is a nice poem, it has no 'special' qualities. Any poetry experts out there lik
to comment on it?
At the bottom of the poem, Anne made the note: 'Composed in the Long Plantation on a wild bright windy day'. The Long Plantation is a wood close to Thorp Green, where she spent five years as a governess with the Robinson family. The last verse is a reference to Scarborough, where she had been with the Robinsons several months earlier. At the southern extreme of Scarborough's 'South Sands', is a giant platform of rock - jutting out several hundred yards into the sea: it is a walk to, and across, these rock
that Anne describes in the penultimate chapter of 'Agnes Grey'. I have spent much time in this area, and frequently seen the sea crashing against these rocks - firing great rockets of spray into the air, and I, probably more than most, can appreciate what was going though her mind when she wrote the last verse of this poem. Here is the poem, which she wrote in December 1842:
******
LINES COMPOSED IN A WOOD ON A WINDY DAY
My soul is awakened, my spirit is soaring
And carried aloft on the wings of the breeze;
For above and around me the wild wind is roaring,
Arousing to rapture the earth and the seas.
The long withered grass in the sunshine is glancing,
The bare trees are tossing their branches on high;
The dead leaves beneath them are merrily dancing,
The white clouds are scudding across the blue sky.
I wish I could see how the ocean is lashing
The foam of its billows to whirlwinds of spray;
I wish I could see how its proud waves are dashing,
And hear the wild roar of their thunder today!
******
Mick.
5 responses total.
Topic 64 of 84 [bronte]: Poems
Response 1 of 5: Heulwen Rankin (Heulwen) * Thu, Oct 22, 1998 (19:17) * 2 lines
I also like The Captive Dove.
I recently purchased a poetry book that includes Patrick Branwell's poetry as well as the other three.
Topic 64 of 84 [bronte]: Poems
Response 2 of 5: Bertha Mason (BerthaMason) * Wed, Oct 28, 1998 (06:23) * 10 lines
Isnīt it a shame that the Brontesī poetry has been
neglected for so long?
There are some truly beautiful gems and treasures
hidden in their work which should at last be made
public. Unfortunately there are few if any good, cheap
editions.
At least the poems of Acton, Currer, and Ellis Bell are
now available on the internet. Sorry, I canīt
remember the site.
Topic 64 of 84 [bronte]: Poems
Response 3 of 5: Riette Walton (riette) * Wed, Nov 18, 1998 (04:24) * 1 lines
And the volume of Emily's poetry alone, has been so heavily edited by Charlotte that one isn't sure WHO one is reading. I would have loved to see the poems in their original form.
Topic 64 of 84 [bronte]: Poems
Response 4 of 5: Sarah (saranha77) * Fri, Dec 31, 2004 (23:26) * 1 lines
I must confess to not being very informed about poetry, mostly of my own chosing, but I fell in love with Emily's "Night Wind" the moment I read it.
Topic 64 of 84 [bronte]: Poems
Response 5 of 5: Conf admin (cfadm) * Fri, Dec 31, 2004 (23:53) * 1 lines
Can you post an excerpt or two?
bronte conference 
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