Skip to content
Linespedia

Absence

By William Lisle Bowles

Topics: classic

There is strange music in the stirring wind,     When lowers the autumnal eve, and all alone     To the dark wood's cold covert thou art gone,     Whose ancient trees on the rough slope reclined     Rock, and at times scatter their tresses sere.     If in such shades, beneath their murmuring,     Thou late hast passed the happier hours of spring,     With sadness thou wilt mark the fading year;     Chiefly if one, with whom such sweets at morn     Or evening thou hast shared, afar shall stray.     O Spring, return! return, auspicious May!     But sad will be thy coming, and forlorn,     If she return not with thy cheering ray,     Who from these shades is gone, far, far away.

AI analysis available. Enable JavaScript to interact.

About this line

"There is strange music in the stirring wind,..."

"Absence" is a quintessential example of William Lisle Bowles's signature style... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

Attribution & Rights

Author:William Lisle Bowles

"There is strange music in the stirring wind,..." by William Lisle Bowles

For usage rights, copyright concerns, or to report an issue with this content, please visit our Copyright & Report page.

Related lines

"While slowly wanders thy sequestered stream,     WAINSBECK, the mossy-scattered rocks among,     In fancy's ear making a plaintive song     To"

"On these white cliffs, that calm above the flood     Uprear their shadowing heads, and at their feet     Hear not the surge that has for ages be"

"Christian! for none who scorns that holy name      Can gaze with honest eyes on Southey's fame;      Christian! bow down thy head in humble fea"

"The mighty master waved his wand, and, lo!      On the astonished eye the glorious show      Burst like a vision! Spirit of the place!      Ha"

"Here morning in the ploughman's songs is met     Ere yet one footstep shows in all the sky,     And twilight in the east, a doubt as yet,     S"

"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

William Lisle Bowles

About William Lisle Bowles

William Lisle Bowles is a distinguished poet whose works have shaped the landscape of English literature. Their poetry explores the depths of human emotion, nature, love, and philosophical thought through powerful and evocative verse. Readers continue to find solace, inspiration, and beauty in their timeless words.

Full Bibliography
Continue Reading

"While slowly wanders thy sequestered stream,     W..."

Weekly Poetic Insight

Join our literary Sanctuary

Get the most inspiring lines, poetic analysis, and secret shayaris delivered to your inbox every Sunday.