The House of Livia, Palatine Hill, Rome
The House on the Hill
BY EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON
They are all gone away,
The House is shut and still,
There is nothing more to say.
Through broken walls and gray
The winds blow bleak and shrill:
They are all gone away.
Nor is there one to-day
To speak them good or ill:
There is nothing more to say.
Why is it then we stray
Around the sunken sill?
They are all gone away,
And our poor fancy-play
For them is wasted skill:
There is nothing more to say.
There is ruin and decay
In the House on the Hill:
They are all gone away,
There is nothing more to say.
such a great flow to your words – and the pensive feel of the photo is perfect to go with it. xxoo
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Thanks, it’s a great poem isn’t it, I didn’t write it though. Wish I had 🙂
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well it is still great 🙂 xxoo
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Thanks. Have a great weekend 🙂
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u too N :0
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This is a fabulous photo Norma. What a great poem to accompany it too. This is one example of a villanelle that our tutor showed us when he introduced us to the villanelle form. 😊 xx
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Thanks Christine. Ooooo I love the form. It’s such a great poem 🙂
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Great match of poem and photo. The photo alone would have been eerie enough. 🙂
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Thanks Lignum. It’s a pretty cool poem 🙂
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Blend in perfectly Norma! Have a great weekend 🙂
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You too Indah! Thank you 🙂
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Excellent, Norma!
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Thank you very much Fabio 🙂
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Great photo to go with Robinson’s poem. I think the darkness of the photo really adds to the words of the poem. I’ve read this poem many times over the years (it pops up in many anthologies), and it’s so sad and haunting. I thank you for giving me a picture to keep in my head for all the future readings of this poem.
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Thanks John, it’s a great poem isn’t it. I’m glad you like the combination 🙂
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