Silence



Along the city streets,
It is still high tide,
Yet the garrulous waves of life
Shrink and divide
With a thousand incidents
Vexed and debated:—
This is the hour for which we waited—

This is the ultimate hour
When life is justified.
The seas of experience
That were so broad and deep,
So immediate and steep,
Are suddenly still.
You may say what you will,
At such peace I am terrified.
There is nothing else beside.
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Written on 1910

Submitted by jonsaviours on November 14, 2024

Modified by jonsaviours on November 14, 2024

25 sec read
103

Quick analysis:

Scheme XAXAXBB XAXCCDDAA
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 418
Words 86
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 7, 9

T. S. Eliot

Thomas Stearns Eliot OM was an American-British poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, to a prominent Boston Brahmin family, he moved to England in 1914 at the age of 25 and went on to settle, work and marry there. more…

All T. S. Eliot poems | T. S. Eliot Books

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Discuss the poem Silence with the community...

1 Comment
  • JokerGem
    An ineffable epiphany expressed poetically. Did Eliot ever fulfill his metaphysical quest?
    LikeReply 11 hour ago

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"Silence" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 14 Nov. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/204459/silence>.

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Lewis Carroll wrote: "You are old father William, the young man said..."
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