After Long Drought Poem by Mark Van Doren

After Long Drought

Rating: 3.6


After long drought, commotion in the sky;
After dead silence, thunder. Then it comes,
The rain. It slashes leaves, and doubly drums
On tin and shingle; beats and bends awry
The flower heads; puddles dust, and with a sigh
Like love sinks into grasses, where it hums
As bees did once, among chrysanthemums
And asters when the summer thought to die.

The whole world dreamed of this, and has it now.
Nor was the waking easy. The dull root
Is jealous of its death; the sleepy brow
Smiles in its slumber; and a heart can fear
The very flood it longed for, roaring near.
The spirit best remembers being mute.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Soren Svenson 27 November 2005

i had to recite this at school...i fell in love with it...j.i.

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Aftab Alam Khursheed 18 September 2014

Through Drought, poet painted the agony of life and post happiness as thunder, rain and......

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Daniel Richmond 18 September 2014

This is amazing, did they really have droughts before global warming?

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Ratnakar Mandlik 13 January 2016

Amazing narration of plight during drought and sigh of relief and awe due to thunder storm and heavy rains at the end of it's lengthy spell. Thanks for sharing.

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Sylvia Frances Chan 18 March 2024

A) The poem revolves around the anticipation and arrival of rain after a prolonged period of drought. The poem beautifully depicts the transformation from barren silence to life-giving precipitation.

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Sylvia Frances Chan 09 April 2024

The poem revolves around the anticipation and arrival of rain after a prolonged period of drought. The poem beautifully depicts the transformation from barren silence to life-giving precipitation.

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Sylvia Frances Chan 09 April 2024

Once again CONGRATS being chosen as The Modern Poem Of The Day. I repeat my own response now:

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Sylvia Frances Chan 18 March 2024

CONGRATS being chosen by PoemHunter and Team as the Modern Poem Of The Day.5 Stars!

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Sylvia Frances Chan 18 March 2024

D) Most deserving poem as The Modern Poem Of The Day! TOP Marks 5 Stars

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Sylvia Frances Chan 18 March 2024

C) However, the poem also recognizes the complexity of desire: how even desired things can evoke fear. The last lines suggest that the mind remembers moments of silence and contemplation best.

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Mark Van Doren

Mark Van Doren

Hope, Illinois,
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