Thursday, October 14, 2010

Twilight on Sandusky Marsh, by John Hay

First appearing in Harper's Magazine on page 475 of Volume 93, in 1896, this poem also appeared in the 1916 book THE COMPLETE POETICAL WORKS OF JOHN HAY, on page 234, and is available at Google Books. THE COMPLETE POETICAL WORKS OF JOHN HAY was published by the Houghton Mifflin Company, and featured an introduction by John Hay's son, Clarence Leonard Hay.























The state of Ohio has always had wetlands, which include swamps, marshes, and bogs. Several marshes are located close to the shore of Sandusky Bay and Lake Erie in northern Ohio. Marshes are a natural habitat for a several plants and animals. I can recall my uncle, Wayne Orshoski, trapping muskrats in the marshes not far from his home.

We do not know exactly which marsh John Milton Hay wrote about in his poem, but throughout history, residents of Erie and Sandusky Counties have all heard the birds and other wildlife, felt the refreshing breezes, and have seen the lovely twilight sky that can be viewed as the sun goes down in the evening hours near the marsh lands close to Sandusky Bay.

6 comments:

Bill West said...

Dorene,
You know, one of the places I visited
today included a salt marsh! Reading
this I could see it again in my mind's eye.

Thanks for again participating in the Challenge!

Dorene from Ohio said...

Bill, I am ashamed to admit that I drive down the road adjacent to this marsh at least twice a day...every day...and sometimes I forget how very beautiful it really is!

Judith Richards Shubert said...

I have read this poem before, Dorene. It is beautiful. Thank you for reminding me of it.
Judy

Dorene from Ohio said...

Thanks Judy!
I only wish that I knew which exact location John Hay was thinking of when he wrote this!

Susan Clark said...

Lovely poem. Thanks so for sharing it. I'll think of the chittering blackbirds the next time I listen to the birds at dusk.

Nancy said...

This is a hauntingly beautiful poem with so much imagery, yet also with a melancholy air - the end of day, the end of a life.... Thanks for sharing it.