Mutation

William Cullen Bryant

1794 to 1878

Poem Image
Track 1

Reconstruct the poem by dragging each line into its correct position. Your goal is to reassemble the original poem as accurately as possible. As you move the lines, you'll see whether your arrangement is correct, helping you explore the poem's flow and meaning. You can also print out the jumbled poem to cut up and reassemble in the classroom. Either way, take your time, enjoy the process, and discover how the poet's words come together to create something truly beautiful.

Easy Mode - Auto check enabled
Expires, and lets her weary prisoner go.
They talk of short-lived pleasure—be it so—
And after dreams of horror, comes again
The welcome morning with its rays of peace
Weep not that the world changes—did it keep
Remorse is virtue's root; its fair increase
Makes the strong secret pangs of shame to cease:
The fiercest agonies have shortest reign;
A stable, changeless state, 'twere cause indeed to weep.
Thus joy, o'erborne and bound, doth still release
Pain dies as quickly: stern, hard-featured pain
His young limbs from the chains that round him press.
Are fruits of innocence and blessedness:
Oblivion, softly wiping out the stain,