Around the World: "Dawn in the Andes"

DAWN IN THE ANDES 

           by William Lisle Bowles

’T IS dawn;—the distant Andes’ rocky spires,    

One after one, have caught the orient fires.    

Where the dun condor shoots his upward flight,    

His wings are touched with momentary light.    

Meantime, beneath the mountains’ glittering heads,

A boundless ocean of gray vapor spreads,    

That o’er the champaign, stretching far below,    

Moves now, in clustered masses, rising slow,    

Till all the living landscape is displayed    

In various pomp of color, light, and shade,

Hills, forests, rivers, lakes, and level plain    

Lessening in sunshine to the southern main.    

The llama’s fleece fumes with ascending dew;    

The gem-like humming-birds their toils renew;    

And there, by the wild river’s devious side,

The tall flamingo, in its crimson pride,    

Stalks on, in richest plumage bright arrayed,    

With snowy neck superb, and legs of lengthening shade.

The imagery of this poem really drew me in. Although I didn’t know too much about the Andes aside from the fact that it’s located in South America, as I was reading the poem, I felt like I was there watching the sun slowly illuminate the Andes, revealing the colorful splendor of the landscape. I've always loved sunrises (when I manage to wake up that early), but the one described in the poem is superior to any I've witnessed before; the scene illustrated is serene, yet lively. Hopefully in the future, I’ll be able to visit the Andes, and maybe even watch the sunrise to find out if the view is as breathtaking as this poem has made me believe it to be.