Lanier was born in 1842 in Macon Georgia. He contracted tuberculosis during his time in a prison camp during the American Civil War. He married and had three children after the war. He died prematurely at 39.
He is most famous for the poem "Marshes of Glynn". I am posting "Wedding Hymn" after the pictures of his birthplace in Macon.
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| Sidney Lanier Portrait |
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| Mary Day Lanier Wedding Dress |
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| Sidney Lanier Birthplace in Macon, GA |
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| Brick Road in front Sidney Lanier Birthplace |
Wedding Hymn
Thou God, whose high, eternal Love
Is the only blue sky of our life,
Clear all the Heaven that bends above
The life-road of this man and wife.
May these two lives be but one note
In the world’s strange-sounding harmony,
Whose sacred music e’er shall float
Through every discord up to Thee.
As when from separate stars two beams
Unite to form one tender ray:
As when two sweet but shadowy dreams
Explain each other in the day:
So may these two dear hearts one light
Emit, and each interpret each.
Let an angel come and dwell tonight
In this dear double-heart, and teach.
He sure had quite the way with words indeed
ReplyDeleteHe has the rhyming thing down. wink wink
DeleteWhat a lovely home. I'm sure I've read Sidney Lanier at some point, but this poem is not familiar.
ReplyDelete~Visiting from AtoZ
Usually Marshes of the Glynn is in anthologies. It is a much better poem in my opinion. It is much longer and I retrieved a shorter poem. I enjoy poetry but it does take a little more from you to appreciate. However, Lanier's poems are pretty straight forward. He saw them as an extension of music.
DeleteSuch a shame he died so young. He was talented.
ReplyDeleteI thought the same way. People had to be much tougher back then. I can't imagine living 20 years with tuberculosis.
DeleteFascinating! Beautiful home...would love to visit it!
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely home but it is not particularly large. Of course in 1842, it was a castle compared to what most people lived in.
DeleteThis looks like a lovely, historic era. The brick road reminds me of Europe. How sad that this talented poet died so young.
ReplyDelete