"I Broke the Spell that Held Me Long"

________________________________________________
Title:     "I Broke the Spell that Held Me Long"
Author: William Cullen Bryant [More Titles by Bryant]

I broke the spell that held me long,
The dear, dear witchery of song.
I said, the poet's idle lore
Shall waste my prime of years no more,
For Poetry, though heavenly born,
Consorts with poverty and scorn.

I broke the spell--nor deemed its power
Could fetter me another hour.
Ah, thoughtless! how could I forget
Its causes were around me yet?
For wheresoe'er I looked, the while,
Was Nature's everlasting smile.

Still came and lingered on my sight
Of flowers and streams the bloom and light,
And glory of the stars and sun;--
And these and poetry are one.
They, ere the world had held me long,
Recalled me to the love of song.

-THE END-
William Cullen Bryant's poem: "I Broke the Spell that Held Me Long"

________________________________________________



GO TO TOP OF SCREEN