THOU wast all that to me, love, For which my soul did…
““THOU wast all that to me, love, For which my soul did pine: A green isle in the sea, love, A fountain and a shrine All wreathed with fairy fruits and flowers, And all the flowers were mine. Ah, dream too bright to last! Ah, starry Hope, that didst arise But to be overcast! A voice from out the Future cries, "On! on!"—but o'er the Past (Dim gulf!) my spirit hovering lies Mute, motionless, aghast. For, alas! alas! with me The light of Life is o'er! No more—no more—no more— (Such language holds the solemn sea To the sands upon the shore) Shall bloom the thunder-blasted tree, Or the stricken eagle soar. And all my days are trances, And all my nightly dreams Are where thy gray eye glances, And where thy footstep gleams— In what ethereal dances, By what eternal streams.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker laments lost love, yearning for an idealized past while confronting a bleak future.
In simple terms: Love lost, longing for an impossible ideal, facing darkness.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge loss, seek growth beyond idealization.
Themes
love
loss
idealism
despair
hope
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
poetic
lamentatory
When to use this quote
- heartbreak
- creative writing
- therapy sessions
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
romanticism
nostalgia
existential yearning
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the “green isle” symbolize for you?
- How can you transform longing into constructive action?
A Different Perspective
Idealizing love can trap you in perpetual grief.