Classic Poetry Series Samuel Taylor Coleridge - poems - Publication Date: 2004 Publisher: Poemhunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive Samuel Taylor Coleridge(1772-1834) Coleridge was the son of a vicar. He was educated at Christ's Hospital, London, where he became friendly with Lamb and Leigh Hunt and went on to Jesus College Cambridge, where he failed to get a degree. In the summer of 1794 Coleridge became friends with the future Poet Laureate Southey, with whom he wrote a verse drama. Together they formed a plan to establish a Pantisocracy, a Utopian community, in New England. They married sisters, but the scheme fell apart and they argued over money and politics. Coleridge at this time was an ardent non-conformist and in 1796 preached throughout the West Country, deciding, however, not to become a minister. In 1797 he met William Wordsworth and for the next year and a half lived and worked closely with him, collaborating to produce the Lyrical Ballads. In 1798, disillusioned with English politics, Coleridge set out for Germany, where he studied Kant, Schiller and Scheling. On his return he moved to the Lake District to be with the Wordsworths, but suffered from his failing marriage and an increasing dependence on opium. He also fell hopelessly in love with Wordsworth's future sister-in-law, Sara Hutchinson, the inspiration for his love poems of this period, and separated from his wife in 1807. Coleridge failed to restore his health or mental balance and quarrelled irrevocably with Wordsworth in 1810, alienating also Dorothy and Sara, with whom he had been editing a periodical The Friend. Winter 1813-14 brought a rebirth of his religious beliefs and for the first time he openly admitted his opium addiction and sought medical help. In 1816 he lodged in the London household of a young surgeon Dr James Gilman, where he was to remain for the rest of his life. The publication of Christabel in this year assured his reputation as a poet but the end of his life was taken up with religious and philosophical prose works. www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 1 (fragment 2) I Know 'Tis But A Dream, Yet Feel More Anguish I know 'tis but a Dream, yet feel more anguish Than if 'twere Truth. It has been often so: Must I die under it? Is no one near? Will no one hear these stifled groans and wake me? Samuel Taylor Coleridge www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 2 A Broken Friendship Alas! they had been friends in youth; But whispering tongues can poison truth; And constancy lives in realms above; And life is thorny; and youth is vain; And to be wroth with one we love, Doth work like madness in the brain. And thus is chanced, as I divine, With Roland and Sir Leoline. Each spake words of high disdain And insult to his heart's best brother: They parted - ne'er to meet again! But never either found another To free the hollow heart from painting - They stood aloof, the scars remaining, Like cliffs which had been rent asunder; A dreary see now flows between; - But neither heat, nor frost, nor thunder Shall wholly do away, I ween, The marks of that which once hath been Samuel Taylor Coleridge www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 3 A Child's Evening Prayer Ere on my bed my limbs I lay, God grant me grace my prayers to say: O God! preserve my mother dear In strength and health for many a year; And, O! preserve my father too, And may I pay him reverence due; And may I my best thoughts employ To be my parents' hope and joy; And, O! preserve my brothers both From evil doings and from sloth, And may we always love each other, Our friends, our father, and our mother, And still, O Lord, to me impart An innocent and grateful heart, That after my last steep I may Awake to thy eternal day! Amen. Samuel Taylor Coleridge www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 4 A Christmas Carol I. The shepherds went their hasty way, And found the lowly stable-shed Where the Virgin-Mother lay: And now they checked their eager tread, For to the Babe, that at her bosom clung, A Mother's song the Virgin-Mother sung. II. They told her how a glorious light, Streaming from a heavenly throng. Around them shone, suspending night! While sweeter than a mother's song, Blest Angels heralded the Savior's birth, Glory to God on high! and Peace on Earth. III. She listened to the tale divine, And closer still the Babe she pressed: And while she cried, the Babe is mine! The milk rushed faster to her breast: Joy rose within her, like a summer's morn; Peace, Peace on Earth! the Prince of Peace is born. IV. Thou Mother of the Prince of Peace, Poor, simple, and of low estate! That strife should vanish, battle cease, O why should this thy soul elate? Sweet Music's loudest note, the Poet's story, Didst thou ne'er love to hear of fame and glory? V. And is not War a youthful king, A stately Hero clad in mail? Beneath his footsteps laurels spring; Him Earth's majestic monarchs hail Their friends, their playmate! and his bold bright eye Compels the maiden's love-confessing sigh. www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 5 VI. Tell this in some more courtly scene, To maids and youths in robes of state! I am a woman poor and mean, And wherefore is my soul elate. War is a ruffian, all with guilt defiled, That from the aged father's tears his child! VII. A murderous fiend, by fiends adored, He kills the sire and starves the son; The husband kills, and from her board Steals all his widow's toil had won; Plunders God's world of beauty; rends away All safety from the night, all comfort from the day. VIII. Then wisely is my soul elate, That strife should vanish, battle cease: I'm poor and of low estate, The Mother of the Prince of Peace. Joy rises in me, like a summer's morn: Peace, Peace on Earth! The Prince of Peace is born! Samuel Taylor Coleridge www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 6 A Couplet, Written In A Volume Of Poems Presented By Mr. Coleridge To Dr. A. To meet, to know, to love--and then to part, Is the sad tale of many a human heart. Samuel Taylor Coleridge www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 7 A Day Dream My eyes make pictures when they're shut:-- I see a fountain large and fair, A Willow and a ruined Hut, And thee, and me, and Mary there. O Mary! make thy gentle lap our pillow! Bend o'er us, like a bower, my beautiful green Willow! A wild-rose roofs the ruined shed, And that and summer well agree And lo! where Mary leans her head, Two dear names carved upon the tree! And Mary's tears, they are not tears of sorrow: Our sister and our friend will both be here to-morrow. 'Twas Day! But now few, large, and bright The stars are round the crescent moon! And now it is a dark warm Night, The balmiest of the month of June! A glow-worm fallen, and on the marge remounting Shines, and its shadow shines, fit stars for our sweet fountain. O ever -- ever be thou blest! For dearly, Asra! love I thee! This brooding warmth across my breast, This depth of tranquil bliss -- ah me! Fount, Tree, and Shed are gone, I know not whither, But in one quiet room we three are still together. The shadows dance upon the wall, By the still dancing fire-flames made; And now they slumber, moveless all! And now they melt to one deep shade! But not from me shall this mild darkness steal thee: I dream thee with mine eyes, and at my heart I feel thee! Thine eyelash on my cheek doth play-- 'Tis Mary's hand upon my brow! But let me check this tender lay, Which none may hear but she and thou! www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 8 Like the still hive at quiet midnight humming, Murmur it to yourselves, ye two beloved women! Samuel Taylor Coleridge www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 9 A Mathematical Problem This is now--this was erst, Proposition the first--and Problem the first. I. On a given finite Line Which must no way incline; To describe an equi-- --lateral Tri-- --A, N, G, L, E. Now let A. B. Be the given line Which must no way incline; The great Mathematician Makes this Requisition, That we describe an Equi-- --lateral Tri-- --angle on it: Aid us, Reason--aid us, Wit! II. From the centre A. at the distance A. B. Describe the circle B. C. D. At the distance B. A. from B. the centre The round A. C. E. to describe boldly venture. (Third Postulate see.) And from the point C. In which the circles make a pother Cutting and slashing one another, Bid the straight lines a journeying go, C. A., C. B. those lines will show. To the points, which by A. B. are reckon'd, And postulate the second For Authority ye know. A. B. C. Triumphant shall be An Equilateral Triangle, Not Peter Pindar carp, not Zoilus can wrangle.