A Presentiment Poem by William Cullen Bryant

A Presentiment

Rating: 3.1


'Oh father, let us hence--for hark,
A fearful murmur shakes the air.
The clouds are coming swift and dark:--
What horrid shapes they wear!
A winged giant sails the sky;
Oh father, father, let us fly!'

'Hush, child; it is a grateful sound,
That beating of the summer shower;
Here, where the boughs hang close around,
We'll pass a pleasant hour,
Till the fresh wind, that brings the rain,
Has swept the broad heaven clear again.'

'Nay, father, let us haste--for see,
That horrid thing with horned brow,--
His wings o'erhang this very tree,
He scowls upon us now;
His huge black arm is lifted high;
Oh father, father, let us fly!'

'Hush, child;' but, as the father spoke,
Downward the livid firebolt came,
Close to his ear the thunder broke,
And, blasted by the flame,
The child lay dead; while dark and still,
Swept the grim cloud along the hill.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Adrian Flett 23 December 2018

A poem of rhyme and rhythm and a message to tell. Elders often think they know better. The truth is children keep their minds open to senses beyond the normal five.

3 0 Reply
Anil Kumar Panda 23 December 2018

Enjoyed the poem.Thanks for sharing.

2 0 Reply
Bernard F. Asuncion 23 December 2018

A well crafted poem by William Cullen Bryant....👍👍

2 0 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 23 December 2018

Haste! Taste! ! Let us fly! ! ! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

2 0 Reply
Prabir Gayen 23 December 2018

Very beautiful... fantastic emotion......

2 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 04 October 2021

A very suitable Title for this excellent poem, have I put 5 Stars full? Oh yes of course!

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 04 October 2021

5 Stars for this absolute lovely poem, excellent rhyme and rhythm I have enjoyed immensely

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 04 October 2021

What a magnificent poem about kids. Truly well observed by the great poet. Perfect rhyme and rhythm

0 0 Reply
Chinedu Dike 04 October 2021

Really a beautiful rhetorical piece of poetry....

0 0 Reply
Rose Marie Juan-austin 03 October 2021

Deeply moving and so poignant imbued with a meaningful message. Brilliantly presented with great poetic skill.

0 0 Reply
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Close
Error Success