The poem
Shall Earth no more inspire thee, Thou lonely dreamer now ? Since passion may not fire thee Shall nature cease to bow ?
Thy mind is ever moving In regions dark to thee; Recall its useless roving - Come back and dwell with me -
I know my mountain breezes Enchant annd soothe thee still - I know my sunshine pleases Despite thy wayward will -
When day with evening blending Sinks from the summer sky, I've seen thy spirit bending In fond idolotry -
I've watched thee every hour - I know my mighty sway - I know my magic power To drive thy griefs away -
Few hearts to mortal given On earth so wildly pine Yet none would ask a Heaven More like this Earth than thine -
Then let my winds caress thee - Thy comrade let me be - Since nought beside can bless thee Return and dwell with me -
Opinion
I'm a Sophomore in high school, and chose to memorize this poem for my English final. I knew upon reading it the first time that it was THE poem I would recite. I fell in love immediately!! I can sympathize with the feelings of aloneness, and the feeling of wanting to be in love so desperately, but likewise, not wishing it. 'Shall earth no more inspire thee' is a poem that can be applied to anyone, in the sense that we all have periods of destructive apathy. Each time I read this poem, I feel so many emotions: apathy, anger, sadness, nostalgia, bittersweetness, and brief moments of joy. Oh, how I would like the world to 'come and dwell with me'...
What do you feel when reading this poem?