Oscar Wilde

Impression - Le Reveillon

Impression - Le Reveillon - meaning Summary

Dawn as Awakening Vision

Wilde's short lyric depicts dawn as a living presence emerging from the sea. The poem personifies morning as a white lady rising, and describes light as arrows and waves that transform night into gilded landscape. Movement—birds, stirred chestnuts and streaked branches—signals a quiet awakening and renewal. The tone is observant and celebratory, focusing on the visual spectacle of light reshaping familiar forms into something briefly luminous.

Read Complete Analyses

The sky is laced with fitful red, The circling mists and shadows flee, The dawn is rising from the sea, Like a white lady from her bed. And jagged brazen arrows fall Athwart the feathers of the night, And a long wave of yellow light Breaks silently on tower and hall, And spreading wide across the wold Wakes into flight some fluttering bird, And all the chestnut tops are stirred, And all the branches streaked with gold.

default user
PoetryVerse just now

Feel free to be first to leave comment.

8/2200 - 0