Hear the tolling of the bells Iron bells! What a world of solemn thought their monody compels ! How we shiver with affright At the melancholy menace of their tone! From the rust within their throats And the people-ah, the people- And who tolling, tolling, tolling, In that muffled monotone, Feel a glory in so rolling On the human heart a stone- And their king it is who tolls; Rolls, A pæan from the bells! Keeping time, time, time, As he knells, knells, knells, To the rolling of the bells Of the bells, bells, bells- To the moaning and the groaning of the bells. HELPS TO STUDY Biographical and Historical: Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston on January 19th, 1809. Both his parents were members of a theatrical troupe then playing in Boston. He was left an orphan at the age of three years, and was adopted by a wealthy Virginia planter and by him educated in England and elsewhere. Owing to his erratic habits, Poe's foster-father disowned him, and after that life for him was a constant battle with poverty. His prose tales abound in adventure, allegory, and the supernatural. His poetry is full of imagery, beauty, and melody. Notes and Questions What kinds of bells does the poet seek to reproduce the sound of? Which bells has he described best? Point out words particularly suited to express the sound they de "euphony" "Runic" scribe. Which lines are especially musical and pleasing? What can you say of the fire-bells Words and Phrases for Discussion "palpitating" ANNABEL LEE EDGAR ALLAN POE It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know 5 And this maiden she lived with no other thought 10 I was a child and she was a child, In this kingdom by the sea: But we loved with a love that was more than love I and my Annabel Lee; With a love that the wingèd seraphs of heaven And this was the reason that, long ago, 15 A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling 20 25 So that her highborn kinsmen came The angels, not half so happy in heaven, Yes! that was the reason (as all men know, That the wind came out of the cloud by night, But our love it was stronger by far than the love Of many far wiser than we 30 And neither the angels in heaven above, 35 40 Nor the demons down under the sea, Can ever dissever my soul from the soul For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by. the side Of my darling,-my darling,-my life and my bride, In the sepulchre there by the sea, HELPS TO STUDY Like "The Bells," this poem is musical and the words are chosen with reference to this quality. Notice that the repetition of the word "many" adds to the music of the first line. Find other lines in which a word is repeated for the sake of melody. Find lines in which rhymes occur. Mention lines that are especially pleasing to you. What reason is given for the death of Annabel Lee? Why did the angels "covet" and How strong was this love? Words and Phrases for Discussion "winged seraphs'' "sounding sea'' "highborn kinsmen'' "coveted" "sepulchre" 5 10 15 OPPORTUNITY * EDWARD ROWLAND SILL THIS I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream:— A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords And thought, "Had I a sword of keener steel That blue blade that the king's son bears, but this Then came the king's son, wounded, sore bestead, And ran and snatched it, and with battle-shout * By permission of Houghton, Mifflin & Co. HELPS TO STUDY Biographical: Edward Rowland Sill was born in Connecticut in 1841. He graduated at Yale and lived most of his life in California, being for some years professor of English language and literature at the State University. Sill was a true poet, but the whole of his literary output is contained in two slender volumes. His poems are noted for their compressed thought. The selection here given shows this quality. Notes and Questions What do you learn from this poem? Where was the craven when he decided his sword was useless? What word shows that he was there of his own choice? What kind of sword had the craven? What words tell you that he was greatly needed in the thick of the conflict? What kind of sword had the king's son? How long did the king's son look at the discarded sword before using it? If the battle represents life, and the craven and the king's son are types of the people in the world, what do you think the swords represent? Why is this poem called "Opportunity''? Can you think of another title which might be given to it? Such a story as this is called an allegory. "furious'-What is a furious bat tle? Words and Phrases for Discussion "bestead" "craven" "hung along the battle's edge" "hemmed by foes" 5 TO A WATERFOWL WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT WHITHER, midst falling dew, While glow the heavens with the last steps of day, Vainly the fowler's eye Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong, Thy figure floats along. |