Swans

Swans by Sara Teasdale

From Love Songs Part I and Rivers to the Sea Part I

NIGHT is over the park, and a few brave stars
      Look on the lights that link it with chains of gold,
The lake bears up their reflection in broken bars
      That seem too heavy for tremulous water to hold.

We watch the swans that sleep in a shadowy place,
      And now and again one wakes and uplifts its head;
How still you are--your gaze is on my face--
      We watch the swans and never a word is said.

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1923. The author died in 1933, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 75 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.