A Jewish Family In A Small Valley Opposite St. Goar, Upon The Rhine Poem by William Wordsworth

A Jewish Family In A Small Valley Opposite St. Goar, Upon The Rhine

Rating: 2.7


GENIUS of Raphael! if thy wings
Might bear thee to this glen,
With faithful memory left of things
To pencil dear and pen,
Thou would'st forego the neighbouring Rhine,
And all his majesty--
A studious forehead to incline
O'er this poor family.

The Mother--her thou must have seen,
In spirit, ere she came
To dwell these rifted rocks between,
Or found on earth a name;
An image, too, of that sweet Boy,
Thy inspirations give--
Of playfulness, and love, and joy,
Predestined here to live.

Downcast, or shooting glances far,
How beautiful his eyes,
That blend the nature of the star
With that of summer skies!
I speak as if of sense beguiled;
Uncounted months are gone,
Yet am I with the Jewish Child,
That exquisite Saint John.

I see the dark-brown curls, the brow,
The smooth transparent skin,
Refined, as with intent to show
The holiness within;
The grace of parting Infancy
By blushes yet untamed;
Age faithful to the mother's knee,
Nor of her arms ashamed.

Two lovely Sisters, still and sweet
As flowers, stand side by side;
Their soul-subduing looks might cheat
The Christian of his pride:
Such beauty hath the Eternal poured
Upon them not forlorn,
Though of a lineage once abhorred,
Nor yet redeemed from scorn.

Mysterious safeguard, that, in spite
Of poverty and wrong,
Doth here preserve a living light,
From Hebrew fountains sprung;
That gives this ragged group to cast
Around the dell a gleam
Of Palestine, of glory past,
And proud Jerusalem!

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Initha 20 June 2018

Not having meaning

0 0 Reply
Susan Williams 18 March 2016

Beautiful- - - - - -] - - - - - - - - - - - -How beautiful his eyes, That blend the nature of the star With that of summer skies! I speak as if of sense beguiled; Uncounted months are gone,

18 1 Reply
Katherine Hunter 06 January 2013

Yusuef, that's their home. The region was named Palestine by conquering Romans a couple thousand years ago. No offense, but from where do you think they originate?

13 8 Reply
Stephen W 05 January 2013

At Seham Yusuef: He is not Jewish. The poem was written long before the State of Israel existed, at a time when Jews were underdogs. It is not that famous. Europe is not cold or barren. Israel is sponsored primarily by USA. Many of us agree that stealing is wrong, and despise warmongers and occupiers.

8 11 Reply
Seham Yusuef 03 November 2012

Is he a Jewish Man? I am a Palestinian and it hurts to see that they want my land, home, olive trees, figs and orange grove. It is stealing from Muslims. This is wrong. Are these poems famous because it laid the path to current destruction of the non-European/non-Christian world so the cold barren Europe can survive robbing or pillaging resources from the Eastern green fruit laden trees? Shame on occupiers and war mongers. Shame.

9 28 Reply
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William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth

Cumberland / England
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