Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Italy: Vols. XI–XIII. 1876–79.

Tiber, the River

The River Tiber

By Arthur Hugh Clough (1819–1861)

(From Amours de Voyage)

TIBER is beautiful, too, and the orchard slopes, and the Anio

Falling, falling yet, to the ancient lyrical cadence;

Tiber and Anio’s tide; and cool from Lucretilis ever,

With the Digentian stream, and with the Bandusian fountain,

Folded in Sabine recesses, the valley and villa of Horace:

So not seeing I sung; so seeing and listening say I,

Here, as I sit by the stream, as I gaze at the cell of the Sibyl,

Here with Albunea’s home and the grove of Tiburnus beside me;

Tivoli beautiful is, and musical, O Teverone,

Dashing from mountain to plain, thy parted impetuous waters!

Tivoli’s waters and rocks; and fair under Monte Gennaro

(Haunt even yet, I must think, as I wander and gaze, of the shadows,

Faded and pale, yet immortal, of Faunus, the Nymphs, and the Graces),

Fair in itself, and yet fairer with human completing creations,

Folded in Sabine recesses the valley and villa of Horace:

So not seeing I sung; so now, nor seeing nor hearing,

Neither by waterfall lulled, nor folded in sylvan embraces,

Neither by cell of the Sibyl, nor stepping the Monte Gennaro,

Seated on Anio’s bank, nor sipping Bandusian waters,

But on Montorio’s height, looking down on the tile-clad streets, the

Cupolas, crosses, and domes, the bushes and kitchen-gardens,

Which, by the grace of the Tiber, proclaim themselves Rome of the Romans.