Once did She hold the gorgeous East in fee
William Wordsworth
1770 to 1850
Once did She hold the gorgeous East in fee;
And was the safeguard of the West: the worth
Of Venice did not fall below her birth,
Venice, the eldest Child of Liberty.
She was a Maiden City, bright and free;
No guile seduced, no force could violate;
And when She took unto herself a Mate
She must espouse the everlasting Sea.
And what if she had seen those glories fade,
Those titles vanish, and that strength decay,
Yet shall some tribute of regret be paid
When her long life hath reach'd its final day:
Men are we, and must grieve when even the Shade
Of that which once was great is pass'd away.
William Wordsworth's Once did She hold the gorgeous East in fee
I am busy working to bring William Wordsworth's "Once did She hold the gorgeous East in fee" to life through some unique musical arrangements and will have a full analysis of the poem here for you later.
In the meantime, I invite you to explore the poem's themes, structure, and meaning. You can also check out the gallery for other musical arrangements or learn more about William Wordsworth's life and contributions to literature.
Check back soon to experience how "Once did She hold the gorgeous East in fee" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.
Want to join the discussion? Reopen or create a unique username to comment. No personal details required!
© 2024-2025 R.I.Chalmers (V2Melody).
All music on this site by R.I.Chalmers (V2Melody) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Attribution Requirement:
When using this music, you must give appropriate credit by including the following statement (or equivalent) wherever the music is used or credited:
“Music by R.I.Chalmers (V2Melody) – https://v2melody.com”
Support My Work:
If you enjoy this music and would like to support future creations, donations are always welcome but never required.
Donate
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!