Change

Kathleen Raine

 Next Poem          

Change
Said the sun to the moon,
You cannot stay.

Change
Says the moon to the waters,
All is flowing.

Change
Says the fields to the grass,
Seed-time and harvest,
Chaff and grain.

You must change said,
Said the worm to the bud,
Though not to a rose,

Petals fade
That wings may rise
Borne on the wind.

You are changing
said death to the maiden, your wan face
To memory, to beauty.

Are you ready to change?
Says the thought to the heart, to let her pass
All your life long

For the unknown, the unborn
In the alchemy
Of the world's dream?

You will change,
says the stars to the sun,
Says the night to the stars.

Next Poem 

 Back to Kathleen Raine
Get a free collection of Classic Poetry ↓

Receive the ebook in seconds 50 poems from 50 different authors


To be able to leave a comment here you must be registered. Log in or Sign up.

Comments1
  • dillonhaskell6

    Just read this beautiful poem "Change" by Kathleen Raine. Love the way she uses nature to describe the inevitable changes in life. Lines like "Change Says the fields to the grass, Seed-time and harvest, Chaff and grain" really stood out. The simplicity of the message, how everything is constantly changing, really gets ya thinking. We're all changing, just like the sun, moon, field and grass in her poem. It's kinda comforting knowing we're all goin through it together, ya know? Anyway, it's good stuff.