There is more light than I prayed for. I loved the dark
And the glow-worm lighting my feet with her friendly shine,
And yonder far on the hills the fading spark
Of a fire that I lighted for unknown gods of mine.
The mound is emptied of bones, of its urns the barrow
Because of the daylight the oak is forlorn of its god:
The way of a bird in the air, the fall of a sparrow
Is barren of wonder; and barren of grass the clod.
Sad sobs the sea forsaken of Aphrodite;
Hellas and Helen are not, and the slow sands fall,
Gods that were gracious and lovely, gods that were mighty.
Sky and sea and silence resume them all.
Hid are they all in the sky that no one can scale,
Lost is the voice of the sunset that uttered our sorrow:
Sweetest for me is the rose that is tattered and pale,
And what to me is the rose that shall blossom to-morrow?
We are busy working to bring Nora Hopper Chesson's "A Pagan" to life through our unique musical arrangements and will have a full analysis of the poem here for you soon.
At V2Melody, each arrangement is crafted with care through a thoughtful partnership of human artistry and technological innovation. This process involves:
This creative journey takes time—each composition represents hours of dedicated work to create something that deepens our connection to Nora Hopper Chesson's words in meaningful ways.
While you wait for our complete interpretation, we invite you to explore other musical arrangements in our gallery or learn more about Nora Hopper Chesson's life and contributions to literature.
Check back soon to experience how "A Pagan" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.
Click the button below to print a cloze exercise of the poem critique. This exercise is designed for classroom use.