Alastor; or, The Spirit of Solitude

I

The sun is setting, the moon doth glow, And the dew is reclining on flower beds: The becoming of nights that cooled the sparrows, Crowned to the breath of the sun to soothe.

II

When dreams fill the ups and down of a void, Like silent stars that drift through the night, An echoing memory breaks my heart alone, When the dew drops in joy slow starlit bright!

III

Like a sail of calm on the braving sea That opens the gates, the skies won’t be free. Dread the sound of throbbing hearts, And music wends beyond the morning’s chart!

  • Percy Bysshe Shelley