Independence

 Come to my arms --- is it eve? is it morn? 
Is Apollo awake? Is Diana reborn? 
Are the streams in full song? Do the woods whisper hush 
Is it the nightingale? Is it the thrush? 
Is it the smile of the autumn, the blush 
Of the spring? Is the world full of peace or alarms? 
Come to my arms, Laylah, come to my arms! 

Come to my arms, though the hurricane blow. 
Thunder and summer, or winter and snow, 
It is one to us, one, while our spirits are curled 
In the crimson caress: we are fond, we are furled 
Like lilies away from the war of the world. 
Are there spells beyond ours? Are there alien charms? 
Come to my arms, Laylah, come to my arms! 

Come to my arms! is it life? is it death? 
Is not all immortality born of your breath? 
Are not heaven and hell but as handmaids of yours 
Who are all that enflames, who are all that allures, 
Who are all that destroys, who are all that endures? 
I am yours, do I care if it heals me or harms? 
Come to my arms, Laylah, come to my arms!

Form: Lyric Comments

Comments About This Poem

Share your interpretation, favorite passage, or thoughts about this famous poem. Please provide an in-depth and meaningful comment.

  • What do you think the poet was trying to say?
  • Which line had the biggest impact on you?
  • How does this poem relate to modern life?
  • What literary devices did you notice?
No comments have been posted yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.
Get a Premium Membership
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace