sunsets in poetry and prose, and prose-poetry

Oh my! So much to ponder in the June 1852 installment of Scenes Beyond the Western Border. After several fascinating exchanges, like this one, the final dialogue ends with a poem.  When our narrator the Captain humorously contrasts his own trial verses with the tedious account of a beautiful sunset by his "prosaic" Imaginary Friend (!!!), he is referring back to this earlier description: 

"I was as much struck by the sunset, or rather with the strangeness of its apparent renewal after almost darkness, which the clouds must have occasioned, when they broke away—but it was at the North—what a startling but calm beauty and splendour of colouring appeared; and how long it lasted!"

Notice the odd insistence on calmness,"startling but calm." Some other time I will have to check and see how often the critical Friend advocates or is associated with "calm." For now, here is the poetic tribute to sunset from Scenes Beyond the Western Border:

My old friend has been patient to-night; but I trembled lest he should discover the verses, at which his coming surprised me! And with all his prosaic affectation, he had nearly forestalled them by his tribute to the close of this day, which indeed might, all together, have inspired a buffalo. And if so afraid of his ridicule, how shall I venture to record them? Well, three verses may be overlooked, as it is a first offence.

The sun set in clouds ;—but this glorious day
Parts not in gloom; the thick veil is riven—
And river and sky in lovely array,
Are radiant now with the light of heaven.

Like an aurora, or the flashing trace
Of an angel's flight, to the utmost north
The glory shines: unwilling to deface
The Beautiful, Night hovers o'er the earth.

Gently the chamelion colors fade,—
Slowly ascending to the zenith's height:—
'Till lingering darkness buries all in shade,
And light and beauty bid the world good night.

(Scenes Beyond the Western Border, June 1852; and Scenes and Adventures) 

A few more in the same vein:

West, West! West, West! ... Hive of all sunsets! ...

... From dawn till eve, the bright, bright days sped on, chased by the gloomy nights; and, in glory dying, lent their luster to the starry skies. So, long the radiant dolphins fly before the sable sharks but seized, and torn in flames — die, burning:— their last splendor left, in sparkling scales that float along the sea. (Mardi)

"...a bug like the sparkle of a glorious sunset" (The Apple-Tree Table)

"A glorious, softly glorious, and most gracious evening, which seemed plainly a tongue to all humanity, saying: I go down in beauty to rise in joy; Love reigns throughout all worlds that sunsets visit..." (Pierre, 1852)