Clear and bright, from the snowy height,
The joyous stream to the plain descended:
Rich sands of gold were washed and rolled
To the turbid marsh where its pure life ended.
From stainless snow to the moor below
The heart like the brook has a waning mission:
The buried dream in life's sluggish stream
Is the golden sand of our young ambition.
I am busy working to bring John Boyle O'Reilly's "Under the River" 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 John Boyle O'Reilly's life and contributions to literature.
Check back soon to experience how "Under the River" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.