Time & Brevity

Despondency

by Matthew Arnold 1822–1888

From Lyric Poems

Time & Brevity

The thoughts that rain their steady glow
Like stars on life's cold sea,
Which others know, or say they know--
They never shone for me.

Thoughts light, like gleams, my spirit's sky,
But they will not remain.
They light me once, they hurry by;
And never come again.

✦ ✦ ✦

Poetical Works of Matthew Arnold (Macmillan, 1891)

MLA

Arnold, Matthew. “Despondency.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/arnold/71/.

Chicago

Arnold, Matthew. “Despondency.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/arnold/71/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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