Silhouettes

audiobook

Silhouettes

by Arthur Symons

EN·~49 minutes·83 chapters

Chapters

83 total
1

SILHOUETTES - BYARTHUR SYMONS - SECOND EDITION REVISED AND ENLARGED - LONDON: LEONARD SMITHERS EFFINGHAM HOUSE: ARUNDEL STREET STRAND: MDCCCXCVI

3:04
2

PREFACE: - BEING A WORD ON BEHALF OF PATCHOULI.

5:31
3

AT DIEPPE.

0:00
4

AFTER SUNSET.

0:16
5

ON THE BEACH.

0:34
6

RAIN ON THE DOWN.

0:19
7

BEFORE THE SQUALL.

0:26
8

UNDER THE CLIFFS.

0:30
9

REQUIES.

0:23
10

MASKS AND FACES.

0:01

Description

Silhouettes gathers short poems that drift through Parisian evenings, moonlit beaches, and English gardens. Each piece is a brief vignette, from the wistful sigh of “Rain on the Down” to the playful rustle of “Javanese Dancers,” that captures a single mood or a fleeting image. The language is lush yet economical, stitching fragrant references—patchouli, lily of the valley, perfume—into a tapestry of Victorian sensibility. Listeners will feel as if they’re stepping from one painted scene to the next, guided by a voice that balances charm with a quiet edge.

The opening preface sets the tone, offering a thoughtful defense of art’s artificiality, likening poetry to the scent of patchouli that some find “unwholesome.” The poet argues that beauty can be both decorative and daring, inviting readers to enjoy the “primrose path” without fearing moral fire. Throughout the collection, themes of love, travel, performance, and memory echo in concise lyric forms, making each poem a perfect pause for a reflective listening moment. Whether you’re strolling through a city night or lingering on a winter sunrise, the verses promise gentle companionship.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~49 minutes (47K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Ruth Hart

Release date

2009-07-28

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

Subjects

About the author

Arthur Symons

Arthur Symons

1865–1945

A poet of London nights and shifting moods, he helped introduce French Symbolist writing to English readers. His work moves between criticism, translation, and verse, with a taste for beauty, modern city life, and the uneasy edges of desire.

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