Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Twilight

Here is another early poem from Clark Ashton Smith (CAS) unpublished in his lifetime, and not available on The Eldritch Dark, so here's the poem text itself:


Of his great realm, the mighty sovereign Day
Doth for a space his pinioned flight delay 
Ere he his scepter to the night resign.
Now all is silent, save that in the pine
The wind laments the passing daylight's sway
In low, sad notes.  Now all is turning gray
As slowly doth the fading reign decline
And dim, uncertain, in the world. How far
And faint one solitary little star
Doth on the azure robe of evening shine
To herald with its lonely gleam of light
As deep'ning dusk doth with the dark combine
The stately coming of the queenly Night.
As doth the morning star foreshadow Day.



This is one of several poems by CAS that I have read recently having to do with the diurnal cycle.  This particular poem is perfectly competent, but doesn't stand out in any way compared to related works from CAS' formative period. 

No comments:

Post a Comment