Raven mares a-galloped quickly forth
The poem 'Raven mares a-galloped quickly forth' uses the imagery of 'raven mares' — black horses — to symbolize the night carrying dreams across the sky. The repetition of the phrase 'a-galloped quickly forth' emphasizes the relentless and swift passage of time and dreams. The mares are described as tearing sleep apart, suggesting a disruption or transformation that occurs during the night. The poem explores the journey from the south to the north, perhaps symbolizing a transition from warmth to coldness, or from life to a more introspective state. The 'children's plight' and the 'dreams of children still in pain' evoke themes of innocence and suffering, with the mares acting as carriers of these dreams, redistributing them to others. This could symbolize the sharing of human experiences and emotions across different individuals. The poem's structure, with its repeated stanzas and rhyme scheme, creates a rhythmic flow that mirrors the galloping of the horses, reinforcing the themes of movement and transition.
| Word | In English | Plain (English) | Pron. |
|---|---|---|---|
| mares | female horses | female animals, especially horses | mares |
| a-galloped | galloped | ran quickly | uh-galloped |
| forth | forward | ahead | fohrth |
| manes | hair on a horse's neck | the long hair on a horse's neck | manes |
| swarth | dark | dark or shadowy | swawrth |
| plight | difficult situation | a bad situation | plight |
| vain | proud | thinking too highly of oneself | vain |
| kindled | ignited | set on fire or started | kindled |
| visions | dreams | mental images or dreams | visions |
The poet of this work is not identified in available literature, suggesting it may be an original or lesser-known piece.