On a Fly-Leaf by Helen Gray Cone
"On a Fly-Leaf" by Helen Gray Cone is a poem that reflects on the tension between nostalgia for the past and the inevitability of moving forward into the future. The poem opens with a reference to Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," invoking the famous debate between the nightingale and the lark, symbols of night and day, respectively. The speaker addresses a "poet-heart" that is enamored with the past, urging it to release its hold on the darkness and embrace the new dawn. This metaphorical dawn represents new beginnings and the promise of the future, suggesting that while the past holds beauty and allure, the present and future demand attention and action. The poem encourages a balance between cherishing memories and welcoming change, highlighting the importance of progress and the acceptance of new experiences.
By Helen Gray Cone · First published 1885 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Romantic · 81 words
First lines
OBERON
POSIES
"It is the nightingale, and not the lark! " / O poet-heart, enamored of the Past, / That Romeo with the ruby in his ear! / No longer sicken to detain the dark: / Thine eyes along the clear horizon cast: / Behold, a fresh imperious dawn is here!
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On a Fly-Leaf is listed on Textopian as a poem by Helen Gray Cone, dated 1885 CE.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: Helen Gray Cone
- Date: 1885 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Romantic, Pastoral
- Length: 81 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
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- Work identity for On a Fly-Leaf by Helen Gray Cone
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is composed in verse with structured meter, rhyme, and poetic devices that define it as poetry.
- Lyric Poetry — The text expresses personal emotion and aesthetic reflection, characteristic of lyric poetry.
- Romantic — Themes of love, idealized past, and emotional intensity align the work with the Romantic tradition.
- Pastoral — Imagery of nature, dawn, and horizon evoke elements of pastoral writing.
Tags
poetry · lyric · reflection · contemplation · nature · spirituality · emotion · symbolism · transience · introspection · impressionism · aesthetic