Poem: Athanasia

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Poem: Athanasia

 

To that gaunt House of Art which lacks for naught

Of all the great things men have saved from Time,

The withered body of a girl was brought

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Dead ere the world's glad youth had touched its prime,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And seen by lonely Arabs lying hid

In the dim womb of some black pyramid.

 

But when they had unloosed the linen band

Which swathed the Egyptian's body, - lo! was found

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Closed in the wasted hollow of her hand

上海龙凤shlf最新地址A little seed, which sown in English ground

Did wondrous snow of starry blossoms bear

And spread rich odours through our spring-tide air.

 

上海龙凤shlf最新地址With such strange arts this flower did allure

That all forgotten was the asphodel,

And the brown bee, the lily's paramour,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Forsook the cup where he was wont to dwell,

For not a thing of earth it seemed to be,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址But stolen from some heavenly Arcady.

 

上海龙凤shlf最新地址In vain the sad narcissus, wan and white

At its own beauty, hung across the stream,

The purple dragon-fly had no delight

With its gold dust to make his wings a-gleam,

Ah! no delight the jasmine-bloom to kiss,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Or brush the rain-pearls from the eucharis.

 

For love of it the passionate nightingale

Forgot the hills of Thrace, the cruel king,

And the pale dove no longer cared to sail

Through the wet woods at time of blossoming,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址But round this flower of Egypt sought to float,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址With silvered wing and amethystine throat.

 

上海龙凤shlf最新地址While the hot sun blazed in his tower of blue

A cooling wind crept from the land of snows,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And the warm south with tender tears of dew

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Drenched its white leaves when Hesperos up-rose

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Amid those sea-green meadows of the sky

On which the scarlet bars of sunset lie.

 

But when o'er wastes of lily-haunted field

The tired birds had stayed their amorous tune,

And broad and glittering like an argent shield

上海龙凤shlf最新地址High in the sapphire heavens hung the moon,

Did no strange dream or evil memory make

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Each tremulous petal of its blossoms shake?

 

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Ah no! to this bright flower a thousand years

Seemed but the lingering of a summer's day,

It never knew the tide of cankering fears

Which turn a boy's gold hair to withered grey,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址The dread desire of death it never knew,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Or how all folk that they were born must rue.

 

For we to death with pipe and dancing go,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Nor would we pass the ivory gate again,

As some sad river wearied of its flow

Through the dull plains, the haunts of common men,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Leaps lover-like into the terrible sea!

And counts it gain to die so gloriously.

 

上海龙凤shlf最新地址We mar our lordly strength in barren strife

上海龙凤shlf最新地址With the world's legions led by clamorous care,

It never feels decay but gathers life

From the pure sunlight and the supreme air,

We live beneath Time's wasting sovereignty,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址It is the child of all eternity.