On The Road to Nowhere: Difference between revisions
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<meta | <meta | ||
author="Lindsay, | author="Lindsay, Vachel" | ||
additional_information="This poem was originally published in 1916. We took this poem from a volume edited by Mark Harris which was published in 1963." | |||
year_of_publication="1916" | year_of_publication="1916" | ||
genre="Poetry" | genre="Poetry" | ||
publisher="Macmillan" | publisher="Macmillan" | ||
journal=" | journal="Selected Poems of Vachel Lindsay" | ||
page_range=" | page_range="101-102" | ||
/> | /> | ||
<annotations> | <annotations> | ||
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<paragraph keywords=""> | <paragraph keywords=""> | ||
<poem> | <poem> | ||
On the road to nowhere | |||
What wild oats did you sow | |||
When you left your father's house | |||
With your cheeks aglow? | |||
Eyes so strained and eager | |||
To see what you might see? | |||
Were you thief of were you fool | |||
Or most nobly free? | |||
</poem> | |||
</paragraph> | |||
<paragraph keywords="metaphor, plant, road condition, slowness"> | |||
<poem> | |||
Were the tramp-days knightly, | |||
True sowing of wild seed? | |||
Did you dare to make the songs | |||
Vanquished workmen need? | |||
Did you waste much money | |||
They | To deck a leper's feast? | ||
Love the truth, defy the crowd | |||
Scandalize the priest? | |||
On the road to nowhere | |||
What wild oats did you sow? | |||
Stupids find the nowhere-road | |||
Dusty, grim and slow. | |||
</poem> | |||
</paragraph> | |||
<paragraph keywords=""> | |||
<poem> | |||
Ere their sowing's ended | |||
They turn them on their track, | |||
Look at the caitiff craven wights | |||
Repentant, hurrying back! | |||
Grown ashamed of nowhere, | |||
Of rags endured for years, | |||
Lust for velvet in their hearts, | |||
Pierced with Mammon's spears, | |||
All but a few fanatics | |||
Give up their darling goal, | |||
Seek to be as others are, | |||
Stultify the soul. | |||
Reapings now confront them, | |||
Glut them, or destroy. | |||
Curious seeds, grain or weeds | |||
Sown with awful joy. | |||
Hurried is their harvest, | |||
They make soft peace with men. | |||
Pilgrims pass. They care not, | |||
Will not tramp again. | |||
</poem> | </poem> | ||
</paragraph> | </paragraph> | ||
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<paragraph keywords=""> | <paragraph keywords=""> | ||
<poem> | <poem> | ||
O nowhere, golden nowhere! | |||
Sages and fools go on | |||
To your chaotic ocean, | |||
To your tremendous dawn. | |||
Far in your fair dream-haven, | |||
Is nothing or is all... | |||
They press on, singing, sowing | |||
Wild deeds without recall! | |||
</poem> | </poem> | ||
</paragraph> | </paragraph> | ||
</annotations> | </annotations> |
Revision as of 11:55, 17 July 2024
Author | Lindsay, Vachel |
---|---|
Genre | Poetry |
Journal or Book | Selected Poems of Vachel Lindsay |
Publisher | Macmillan |
Year of Publication | 1916 |
Pages | 101-102 |
Additional information | This poem was originally published in 1916. We took this poem from a volume edited by Mark Harris which was published in 1963. |
Upon Returning to the Country Road
On the road to nowhere
What wild oats did you sow
When you left your father's house
With your cheeks aglow?
Eyes so strained and eager
To see what you might see?
Were you thief of were you fool
Or most nobly free?
Were the tramp-days knightly,
True sowing of wild seed?
Did you dare to make the songs
Vanquished workmen need?
Did you waste much money
To deck a leper's feast?
Love the truth, defy the crowd
Scandalize the priest?
On the road to nowhere
What wild oats did you sow?
Stupids find the nowhere-road
Dusty, grim and slow.
Ere their sowing's ended
They turn them on their track,
Look at the caitiff craven wights
Repentant, hurrying back!
Grown ashamed of nowhere,
Of rags endured for years,
Lust for velvet in their hearts,
Pierced with Mammon's spears,
All but a few fanatics
Give up their darling goal,
Seek to be as others are,
Stultify the soul.
Reapings now confront them,
Glut them, or destroy.
Curious seeds, grain or weeds
Sown with awful joy.
Hurried is their harvest,
They make soft peace with men.
Pilgrims pass. They care not,
Will not tramp again.
O nowhere, golden nowhere!
Sages and fools go on
To your chaotic ocean,
To your tremendous dawn.
Far in your fair dream-haven,
Is nothing or is all...
They press on, singing, sowing
Wild deeds without recall!