The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes
As a 9th grader, Noyes's Highwayman was my favorite poem from my English textbook. Although it was the longest poem I had to study at the time, verses from it have vividly settled into my gray cells as I loved reading it aloud. The steady rhythm and dramatic tone convey the story of a romantic tragedy. "Then look for me by the moonlight, Watch for me be the moonlight, I'll come to thee by the moonlight, though hell should bar the way." Are the words of the Highwayman to Bess, his lover. But, my very favourite bit is the opening stanza- "THE wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees, The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor, And the highwayman came riding— Riding—riding— The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door." This setting of the moon tossed upon like a galleon on cloudy seas is reflected so str