Hymn to Desire by Madison Cawein

Name: Hymn to Desire
Author: Madison Cawein

The work explores the theme of desire as a powerful, almost divine force that influences the human experience. It personifies desire as a motherly figure, embodying beauty and mystery, evoking a sense of longing and yearning within the speaker. The speaker expresses a deep emotional turmoil, feeling shaken and helplessly drawn to this force, which stirs an insatiable thirst for visions and experiences that remain elusive. Desire is depicted as a musical presence, akin to moonlight, that resonates within the soul. The imagery of music and sound illustrates the connection between desire and the spiritual realm, suggesting that desire can awaken a deeper understanding of existence. The speaker's soul is likened to a harp, waiting to be played, indicating a longing for expression and connection through love and art. The call to desire is urgent and passionate, urging the speaker to awaken from a state of slumber and to embrace the beauty and magic of life. The text emphasizes the richness of existence, encouraging the heart to partake in the wonders of art and love, which are portrayed as essential to fulfilling one's deepest yearnings. The work contrasts the starkness of eternity with the beauty of life, suggesting that amidst the darkness and silence of the universe, there exists a profound and majestic music that speaks to the essence of life and death. This duality highlights the complexity of desire, which encompasses both joy and sorrow, beauty and anguish. Ultimately, the piece serves as a celebration of desire's transformative power, inviting the reader to engage with the richness of life and to seek out the beauty that lies within the depths of longing and aspiration.

By Madison Cawein · First published 1902 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Symbolism · 603 words

First lines

I. Mother of visions, with lineaments dulcet as numbers / Breathed on the eyelids of love by music that slumbers, / Secretly, sweetly, O presence of fire and snow, / Thou comest mysterious, / In beauty imperious, / Clad on with dreams and the light of no world that we know. / Deep to my innermost soul am I shaken, / Helplessly shaken and tossed, / And of thy tyrannous yearnings so utterly taken, / My lips, unsatisfied, thirst; / Mine eyes are accurst / With longings for visions that far in the night are forsaken; / And mine ears, in listening lost, / Yearn, yearn for the note of a chord that will never awaken.

Open reader

What this Textopian page supports

Hymn to Desire is listed on Textopian as a poem by Madison Cawein, dated 1902 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Poem
Author: Madison Cawein
Date: 1902 CE
Language: English
Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Symbolism, Spiritual Poetry, Philosophical Poetry
Length: 603 words
Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for Hymn to Desire by Madison Cawein
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Similar titles

Genres

Lyric Poetry — The work is characterized by its musicality, emotional depth, and exploration of desire, fitting the conventions of lyric poetry.
Romanticism — Themes of beauty, nature, and intense emotion align with the Romantic movement's focus on individual experience and the sublime.
Symbolism — The use of vivid imagery and metaphors to convey deeper meanings reflects the Symbolist approach to poetry.
Spiritual Poetry — The exploration of desire in relation to the divine and the transcendent suggests a spiritual dimension.