Threnody for a Poet by Bliss Carman
The poem is a tribute to a deceased poet, mourning their loss and celebrating their life through poetry. The speaker reflects on the poet's work and how it has impacted them, while also expressing their own grief and sadness at the poet's passing. The poem explores themes of mortality, memory, and the power of art to transcend death.
By Bliss Carman · First published 1896 · Genre: Poetry, Elegy, Transcendental · 224 words
First lines
Not in the ancient abbey, Nor in the city ground, Not in the lonely mountains, Nor in the blue profound, Lay him to rest when his time is come And the smiling mortal lips are dumb;
But here in the decent quiet Under the whispering pines, Where the dogwood breaks in blossom And the peaceful sunlight shines, Where wild birds sing and ferns unfold, When spring comes back in her green and gold.
And when that mortal likeness Has been dissolved by fire, Say not above the ashes, "Here ends a man's desire. " For every year when the bluebirds sing, He shall be part of the lyric spring.
What this Textopian page supports
Threnody for a Poet is listed on Textopian as a poem by Bliss Carman, dated 1896 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Bliss Carman
- Date: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Elegy, Transcendental
- Length: 224 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Threnody for a Poet by Bliss Carman
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Threnody for a Poet?
- How does this poem by Bliss Carman fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Epitaph by Alice Meynell
- When I Have Departed by Bliss Carman
- To One Poem In A Silent Time by Alice Meynell
- A Friends Wish To C W S by Bliss Carman
- Victor by Henry Lawson
- Obituary by Ring Lardner
Genres
- Poetry — Considering that Bliss Carman is a recognised poet and the title itself suggests poetic content, it is obvious that the major genre of the book is poetry.
- Elegy — The title 'Threnody for a Poet' suggests an elegy, a mournful or melancholic poem that laments the death of the subject, usually a person.
- Transcendental — This book might also be classified under the genre of transcendental literature since Bliss Carman was known to write transcendently, often evoking themes of nature, spirituality and the self-connected universe.
Tags
poetry · mourning · loss · grief · memory · tribute · obituary · in memoriam · funeral · elegy · remembrance · tombstone