Ebony and Crystal: Poems in Verse and Prose

"Ebony and Crystal: Poems in Verse and Prose" by Clark Ashton Smith is a collection of poetry and prose written in the early 20th century. This work showcases the author's rich imagination and mastery of language, often delving into themes of beauty, mystery, love, and existential musings. The collection includes standalone poems and poetic prose that evoke vivid imagery and deep emotional resonance, setting the stage for a journey through Smith's unique and fantastical perspectives. At the start of "Ebony and Crystal," the reader is introduced to a variety of poems that capture the essence of beauty in nature, love, and the ephemeral nature of existence. The opening pieces, like "Arabesque" and "Beyond the Great Wall," blend lush descriptions of landscapes with contemplations on time and longing. Smith's words conjure a dreamlike quality, transporting readers into worlds filled with cypresses, distant stars, and the echoes of ancient poets like Omar Khayyam. The work immediately establishes an atmosphere that invites exploration and reflection on the deeper meanings hidden within the imagery and themes presented. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Clark Ashton Smith was an American writer and artist. He achieved early local recognition, largely through the enthusiasm of George Sterling, for traditional verse in the vein of Swinburne. As a poet, Smith is grouped with the West Coast Romantics alongside Joaquin Miller, Sterling, and Nora May French and remembered as "The Last of the Great Romantics" and "The Bard of Auburn". Smith's work was praised by his contemporaries. H. P. Lovecraft stated that "in sheer daemonic strangeness and fertility of conception, Clark Ashton Smith is perhaps unexcelled", and Ray Bradbury said that Smith "filled my mind with incredible worlds, impossibly beautiful cities, and still more fantastic creatures".