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Literary
April 1, 1828
Richmond Enquirer
Richmond, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
Poem by Felicia Hemans titled 'The Wounded Eagle,' featuring an epigraph from Corinne. It laments a majestic eagle fallen and wounded by the earth, symbolizing a noble spirit's tragic descent from freedom to mortality.
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THE WOUNDED EAGLE.
"Bien jamais n'as-ce ma tête dans le ciel, à l'abri des affections orageuses, je ne serais pas brisée avant l'empire." —Corinne.
Eagle! this is not thy sphere!
Warrior-bird, what seek'st thou here?
Wherefore by the fountain's brink
Doth thy royal pinion sink?
Wherefore on the violet's bed
Layest thou thus thy drooping head
Thou, that hold'st the blast in scorn,
Thou, that wearest the wings of morn!
Eagle! wilt thou not arise?
Look upon thine own bright eyes!
Lift thy glance: the fiery sun
There his pride of place hath won,
And the mountain lark is there,
And sweet sound hath filled the air.
Hast thou left a realm on high
Oh it can be but to die
Eagle, Eagle! thou hast bowed
From thine empire o'er the cloud:
Thou that hadst ethereal birth,
Thou hast stoop'd too near the earth.
And the Hunter's shaft hath found thee
And the coils of Death have bound thee!
--Wherefore didst thou leave thy place,
Creature of a kingly race?
Wert thou weary of thy throne?
Was the sky's dominion lone?
Chill and lone it well might be
Yet that mighty wing was free
Now the chain is o'er it cast,
From thy heart the blood flows fast.
-Wo for gifted souls and high
Is not such their destiny?
FELICIA HEMANS.
"Bien jamais n'as-ce ma tête dans le ciel, à l'abri des affections orageuses, je ne serais pas brisée avant l'empire." —Corinne.
Eagle! this is not thy sphere!
Warrior-bird, what seek'st thou here?
Wherefore by the fountain's brink
Doth thy royal pinion sink?
Wherefore on the violet's bed
Layest thou thus thy drooping head
Thou, that hold'st the blast in scorn,
Thou, that wearest the wings of morn!
Eagle! wilt thou not arise?
Look upon thine own bright eyes!
Lift thy glance: the fiery sun
There his pride of place hath won,
And the mountain lark is there,
And sweet sound hath filled the air.
Hast thou left a realm on high
Oh it can be but to die
Eagle, Eagle! thou hast bowed
From thine empire o'er the cloud:
Thou that hadst ethereal birth,
Thou hast stoop'd too near the earth.
And the Hunter's shaft hath found thee
And the coils of Death have bound thee!
--Wherefore didst thou leave thy place,
Creature of a kingly race?
Wert thou weary of thy throne?
Was the sky's dominion lone?
Chill and lone it well might be
Yet that mighty wing was free
Now the chain is o'er it cast,
From thy heart the blood flows fast.
-Wo for gifted souls and high
Is not such their destiny?
FELICIA HEMANS.
What sub-type of article is it?
Poem
Elegy
What themes does it cover?
Death Mortality
Liberty Freedom
Nature
What keywords are associated?
Wounded Eagle
Felicia Hemans
Ethereal Birth
Hunter's Shaft
Gifted Souls
Sky Dominion
Death Coils
What entities or persons were involved?
Felicia Hemans.
Literary Details
Title
The Wounded Eagle.
Author
Felicia Hemans.
Key Lines
Eagle! This Is Not Thy Sphere!
Warrior Bird, What Seek'st Thou Here?
Thou That Hadst Ethereal Birth,
Thou Hast Stoop'd Too Near The Earth.
Wo For Gifted Souls And High