One Poem Only

The Visionary by Emily Brontë


Listen Later

The Visionary

Emily Brontë 1818 – 1848

Silent is the house: all are laid asleep:

One alone looks out o’er the snow-wreaths deep,
Watching every cloud, dreading every breeze
That whirls the wildering drift, and bends the groaning trees.
Cheerful is the hearth, soft the matted floor;
Not one shivering gust creeps through pane or door;
The little lamp burns straight, its rays shoot strong and far:
I trim it well, to be the wanderer’s guiding-star.
Frown, my haughty sire! chide, my angry dame!
Set your slaves to spy; threaten me with shame:
But neither sire nor dame nor prying serf shall know,
What angel nightly tracks that waste of frozen snow.
What I love shall come like visitant of air,
Safe in secret power from lurking human snare;
What loves me, no word of mine shall e’er betray,
Though for faith unstained my life must forfeit pay.
Burn, then, little lamp; glimmer straight and clear—
Hush! a rustling wing stirs, methinks, the air:
He for whom I wait, thus ever comes to me;
Strange Power! I trust thy might; trust thou my constancy.

Submissions are open. If you have a poem you want me to read on the podcast, now’s the time.

I’m looking for the one that lights you up. The one you’re proud of. The one you can’t read without crying. The one that makes you feel something big.

Let’s make space for the one this Fall on One Poem Only.

Deadline is Thursday, July 31.

🍎 Submit Here 🍎



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rembrandtscure.substack.com
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

One Poem OnlyBy Maggie Devers