Who is James Brunton Stephens

James Brunton Stephens (17 June 1835 – 29 June 1902) was a Scottish-born Australian poet, and author of Convict Once.

Early life

Stephens was born in Bo'ness, on the Firth of Forth, Scotland; the son of John Stephens, the parish schoolmaster, and his wife Jane, née Brunton. J. B. Stephens was educated at his father's school, then at a free boarding school and at the University of Edinburgh from 1849 to 1854 without obtaining a degree. For three years he was a travelling tutor on the continent, and from 1859 became a school teacher in Scotland. While teaching at Greenock Academy, Stephens wrote some minor verse and two short novels ('Rutson Morley' and 'Virtue Le Moyne') which were published in Sharpe's London Magazine in 1861–63.

Career in Australi...
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James Brunton Stephens Poems

  • Universally Respected
    I.
    Biggs was missing: Biggs had vanished; all the town was in a ferment;
    For if ever man was looked to for an edifying end,
    With due mortuary outfit, and a popular interment, ...
  • To A Black Gin
    Daughter of Eve, draw nearâ??I would behold thee.
    Good Heavens! Could ever arm of man enfold thee?
    Did the same Nature that made Phryne mould thee?
    ...
  • Quart Pot Creek
    On an evening ramble lately, as I wandered on sedately,
    Linking curious fancies, modern, mediaeval, and antiqueâ??
    Suddenly the sun descended, and a radiance ruby-splendid,
    With the gleam of water blended, thrilled my sensitive physiqueâ?? ...
  • Progress In The Pacific
    Lapp'd in blue Pacific waters lies an isle of green and gold,
    A garden of enchantment such as Eden was of old;
    And the innocent inhabitants, pure children of the sun,
    Resembled those of Eden, tooâ??in more respects than one. ...
  • Stabat Mater
    Nigh the cross with sorrow laden,
    Weeping stood the Mother-maiden
    While her Son in torment hung:
    Sadly moaning, deeply wailing, ...
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Top 10 most used topics by James Brunton Stephens

Soul 29 Night 28 Love 28 Light 28 I Love You 28 Good 28 Away 25 Life 25 Long 24 Face 23


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Comments about James Brunton Stephens

Isidro_li: oh, dark companion, journeying ever by us, oh, grim perturber of our works and ways, oh, potent dread, unseen, yet ever nigh us, disquieting all the tenor of our days— — james brunton stephens
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Poem of the day

Ernest Dowson Poem
The Garden Of Shadow
 by Ernest Dowson

Love heeds no more the sighing of the wind
Against the perfect flowers: thy garden's close
Is grown a wilderness, where none shall find
One strayed, last petal of one last year's rose.

O bright, bright hair! O mouth like a ripe fruit!
Can famine be so nigh to harvesting?
Love, that was songful, with a broken lute
...

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