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The Troglodyte

Topics: classic

In ages dead, a troglodyte, At the hollow roots of a monster height, - That grew from the heart of the world to light, - I dwelt in caverns: over me Were mountains older than the moon; And forests vaster than the sea, And gulfs, that the earthquake's hand had hewn, Hung under me. And late and soon I heard the dmon of change that sighed A cosmic language of mystery; While life sat silent, primeval-eyed, With the infant spirit of prophecy. Gaunt stars glared down on the Titan peaks; And the gaunter glare of the cratered streaks Of the sunset's ruin heard condor shrieks. The roar of cataracts hurled in air, And the hurricane laying his thunders bare, And rush of battling beasts, - whose lair Was the antechamber of nadir-gloom, - Were my outworld joys. But who shall tell The awe of the depths that heard the boom Of the iron rivers that fashioned Hell!

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"In ages dead, a troglodyte,..."

Madison Julius Cawein's contribution to classic is further solidified by the brilliance found in "The Troglodyte"... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

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"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

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"I saw the daughters of the ocean dance     With wi..."

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