Indeed I have sought thee too long, O Apollo,
Nights and days, by brakes and bowers,
By wind-haunted waters, by wolf-haunted hollow,
And where the city smoke-cloud lowers;
And I have listened hours on hours
Where the holy Omphé of violins
The organ oracle overpowers,
While the musical tumult thickens and thins,
Till the singing women begin to sing,
Invoking as I do their Master and King;
But thou tarriest long, O Apollo!
Could I find but thy footprints, oh, there would I follow.
Thou God of wanderers show the way!
But never I found thee as yet, my Apollo,
Save indeed in a dream one day.
(If that or this be the dream, who shall say?)
A man passed playing a quaint sweet lyre,
His face was young though his hair was grey,
And his blue eyes gleamed with a wasting fire
As he sang the songs of an ancient land—
A singing no hearer could half understand.
Can this have been Thou, my Apollo?
I am busy working to bring A. Mary F. Robinson's "A Search for Apollo" 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 A. Mary F. Robinson's life and contributions to literature.
Check back soon to experience how "A Search for Apollo" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.