Poem 11 — 100 Days of Poetry
About the Poem:
Tears, Idle Tears is an excerpt from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s larger work, The Princess. In this deeply reflective poem, Tennyson explores themes of nostalgia, loss, and the bittersweet nature of remembering the past. The phrase “the days that are no more” becomes a refrain for the powerful emotions that arise when looking back at moments forever gone, yet hauntingly vivid in memory.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892) was a key figure in the Victorian era and served as Poet Laureate for much of Queen Victoria’s reign. Known for his lyricism and emotional depth, Tennyson’s works often explore human longing, love, and the passage of time.
Tears, Idle Tears — Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean,
Tears from the depth of some divine despair
Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes,
In looking on the happy autumn-fields,
And thinking of the days that are no more.
Fresh as the first beam glittering on a sail,
That brings our friends up from the underworld,
Sad as the last which reddens over one
That sinks with all we love below the verge;
So sad, so fresh, the days that are no more.
Ah, sad and strange as in dark summer dawns
The earliest pipe of half-awakened birds
To dying ears, when unto dying eyes
The casement slowly grows a glimmering square;
So sad, so strange, the days that are no more.
Dear as remembered kisses after death,
And sweet as those by hopeless fancy feigned
On lips that are for others; deep as love,
Deep as first love, and wild with all regret;
O Death in Life, the days that are no more!
My Reflections on the Poem:
Tears, Idle Tears has always resonated deeply with me. The way Tennyson reflects on the past and the sadness that accompanies those memories feels incredibly universal. Recording this poem, I was struck by its simplicity and emotional power—it's a reminder of how fragile and fleeting our moments in life truly are.
This post is part of my 100 Days of Poetry series, where I embarked on a journey to record and share 100 poems over 100 days in 2017. Although the series was interrupted, I’m delighted to continue sharing these timeless works with you.
