ArtMagick Illustrated Poetry Collection

Ernest Dowson

Beata Solitudo

Year written: 1896

From 'Verses', 1896

What land of Silence,
    Where pale stars shine
On apple-blossom
    And dew-drenched vine,
    Is yours and mine?

The silent valley
    That we will find,
Where all the voices
    Of humankind
    Are left behind.

There all forgetting,
    Forgotten quite,
We will repose us,
    With our delight
    Hid out of sight.

The world forsaken,
    And out of mind
Honour and labour,
    We shall not find
    The stars unkind.

And men shall travail,
    And laugh and weep;
But we have vistas
    Of gods asleep,
    With dreams as deep.

A land of Silence,
    Where pale stars shine
On apple-blossoms
    And dew-drenched vine,
    Be yours and mine!

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