Fair river! in thy bright, clear flow
Of crystal, wandering water,
Thou art an emblem of the glow
Of beauty—the unhidden heart—
The playful maziness of art
In old Alberto’s daughter;
But when within thy wave she looks—
Which glistens then, and trembles—
Why, then, the prettiest of brooks
Her worshipper resembles;
For in my heart, as in thy stream,
Her image deeply lies—
His heart which trembles at the beam
Of her soul-searching eyes.
Credits
Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American poet, short story writer, and literary critic, best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre. "To The River" reveals a gentler, more romantic side of Poe, written as an address to nature in the tradition of early nineteenth-century lyric verse. The "Alberto's daughter" referenced in the poem is believed to allude to a real woman Poe admired in his youth.
