Nature

Prison of Cervantes

by James Russell Lowell 1819–1891

From Heartsease and Rue

Nature

Seat of all woes? Though Nature's firm decree
The narrowing soul with narrowing dungeon bind,
Yet was his free of motion as the wind,
And held both worlds, of spirit and sense, in fee.
In charmed communion with his dual mind
He wandered Spain, himself both knight and hind,
Redressing wrongs he knew must ever be.
His humor wise could see life's long deceit,
Man's baffled aims, nor therefore both despise;
His knightly nature could ill fortune greet
Like an old friend. Whose ever such kind eyes
That pierced so deep, such scope, save his whose feet
By Avon ceased 'neath the same April's skies?

MLA

Lowell, James Russell. “Prison of Cervantes.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/lowell/300/.

Chicago

Lowell, James Russell. “Prison of Cervantes.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/lowell/300/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by James Russell Lowell