Thursday, June 19, 2008

The Lake of the Dismal Swamp


"They made her a grave too cold and damp
For a soul so warm and true;
And she's gone to the Lake of the Dismal Swamp,
Where all night long, by a firefly lamp,
She paddles her white canoe.

And her firefly lamp I soon shall see,
And her paddle I soon shall hear;
Long and moving our life shall be
And I'll hide the maid in a cypress tree,
When the footstep of death is near."


Away to the Dismal Swamp he speeds,
His path was rugged and sore,
Through tangled juniper, beds of reeds,
Through many a fen where the serpent feeds,
And man never trod before.

And when on the earth he sank to sleep,
If slumber his eyelids knew,
He lay where the deadly vine doth weep
Its venemous tear, and nightly steep
The flesh with blistering dew!

And near him the she-wolf stirr'd the brake,
And the copper-snake breathed in his ear,
Till he starting cried, from his dream awake,
"Oh when shall I see the dusky Lake,
And the white canoe of my dear?"

He saw the Lake, and a meteor bright
Quick over its surface play'd,
"Welcome," he said, "my dear one's light!"
And the dim shore echo'd for many a night
The name of the death-cold maid.

Till he hollow'd a boat of the birchen bark,
Which carried him off from the shore;
Far, far he follow'd the meteor spark,
The wind was high and the clouds were dark,
And the boat return'd no more.


But oft, from the Indian hunter's camp,
This lover and maid so true
Are seen at the hour of midnight damp
To cross the Lake by a firefly lamp,
And paddle their white canoe!


Thomas Moore



All of these photos were taken this past winter in Charleston, SC by yours truly.

9 comments:

Akelamalu said...

I don't know that poem, thanks for sharing it. :)

Dave Renfro said...

Reminds me of a land-nav course I once did at Fort Stewart, Georgia. It took a week to wring out our feet. Nice pics!

Barbara said...

The pictures go perfectly with the poetry. I've been through Charleston many times on my way to Kiawah Island, but I've never seen anything like this!

Mike Minzes said...

Touched the soul

Patty said...

Great shots. I live near the Dismal Swamp here in VA. I haven't been in awhile, but it is pretty. Right now we have some wild fires going on there, but hopefully they will put them out soon.

Not so little Woman said...

As usual, gorgeous photography and wonderful literature. :)

Flower Spy said...

these photos are hauntingly seductive. beautiful gewels. i mosted enjoyed...

bulletholes said...

BEAUTIFULLY MATCHED PHOTOS AND PROSE.
hOW D'YA DO IT?

Melissa said...

Love the poetry, the pictures and the way you seem to be seeing your world. Thanks for sharing.