“Look, stranger, on this island now
The leaping light for your delight discovers,
Stand stable here
And silent be,
That through the channels of the ear
May wander like a river
The swaying sound of the sea.”

— W. H. Auden

Look, Stranger, on This Island Now (1936), first published in book form in Look, Stranger! (1936; US title On this Island)

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W. H. Auden 122

Anglo-American poet 1907–1973

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“I am staying on in Geneva, this charming city. With each step I discover delightful motives. How pleasant it is to work here. And the light is just the way I like it, full of delicate nuances.”

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“Rising and leaping,
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St. 4.
The Cataract of Lodore http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/652.html (1820)

“willow of crystal, a poplar of water,
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“Look, stranger, on this island nowThe leaping light for your delight discovers,Stand stable hereAnd silent be,That through the channels of the earMay wander like a riverThe swaying sound of the sea.”

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

W. H. Auden 122

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“Look, stranger, on this island now
The leaping light for your delight discovers,
Stand stable here
And silent be,
That through the channels of the ear
May wander like a river
The swaying sound of the sea.”