The Stars

Arthur Henry Adams 1872 (Lawrence) – 1936 (Sydney, New South Wales)



THE terrible tranquillity of space!
 My soul shrinks back in sudden doubt. I fear
 The myriad eyes that through the ether peer,
 And chill the arrogance that dared to trace
 The grave enigma of the cosmic face.
 Yet through the soundless night a voice austere—
 “We that you deem afar are small and near;
 With lowly things and humble we have place;
 We are but smoke that from a burnt Past rears;
 The idle spray God's prow flings in its sweep
 Through wider waters; the mere dust that curls
 From his vast chariot-wheels as on He whirls;
 The futile sparks that from His anvil leap;
 Or drifting seeds, pregnant of larger spheres.”

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

34 sec read
72

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBAABBACDEADC
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 647
Words 115
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14

Arthur Henry Adams

Arthur Henry Adams was a journalist and author. He started his career in New Zealand, though he spent most of it in Australia, and for a short time lived in China and London.  more…

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