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That is my being； the madness of an unaccustomed mood。
This is her province whom you lack and seek；
And seek her not elsewhere。
Hell is a thoroughfare
For pilgrims；Herakles；
And he that loved Euridice too well；
Have walked therein； and many more than these；
And witnessed the desire and the despair
Of souls that passed reluctantly and sicken for the air；
You； too； have entered Hell；
And issued thence； but thence whereof I speak
None has returned；for thither fury brings
Only the driven ghosts of them that flee before all things。
Oblivion is the name of this abode： and she is there。〃
Oh； radiant Song！ Oh； gracious Memory！
Be long upon this height
I shall not climb again！
I know the way you mean；the little night；
And the long empty day；never to see
Again the angry light；
Or hear the hungry noises cry my brain！
Ah； but she；
Your other sister and my other soul；
She shall again be mine；
And I shall drink her from a silver bowl；
A chilly thin green wine；
Not bitter to the taste；
Not sweet；
Not of your press； oh； restless； clamorous nine；
To foam beneath the frantic hoofs of mirth
But savoring faintly of the acid earth；
And trod by pensive feet
From perfect clusters ripened without haste
Out of the urgent heat
In some clear glimmering vaulted twilight under the odorous vine。
Lift up your lyres！ Sing on！
But as for me； I seek your sister whither she is gone。
MEMORIAL TO D。 C。
＇VASSAR COLLEGE； 1918＇
Oh； loveliest throat of all sweet throats；
Where now no more the music is；
With hands that wrote you little notes
I write you little elegies！
EPITAPH
Heap not on this mound
Roses that she loved so well；
Why bewilder her with roses；
That she cannot see or smell？
She is happy where she lies
With the dust upon her eyes。
PRAYER TO PERSEPHONE
Be to her； Persephone；
All the things I might not be；
Take her head upon your knee。
She that was so proud and wild；
Flippant； arrogant and free；
She that had no need of me；
Is a little lonely child
Lost in Hell；Persephone；
Take her head upon your knee；
Say to her； 〃My dear； my dear；
It is not so dreadful here。〃
CHORUS
Give away her gowns；
Give away her shoes；
She has no more use
For her fragrant gowns；
Take them all down；
Blue； green； blue；
Lilac； pink； blue；
From their padded hangers；
She will dance no more
In her narrow shoes；
Sweep her narrow shoes
From the closet floor。
ELEGY
Let them bury your big eyes
In the secret earth securely；
Your thin fingers； and your fair；
Soft； indefinite…colored hair；
All of these in some way； surely；
From the secret earth shall rise；
Not for these I sit and stare；
Broken and bereft completely；
Your young flesh that sat so neatly
On your little bones will sweetly
Blossom in the air。
But your voice；never the rushing
Of a river underground；
Not the rising of the wind
In the trees before the rain；
Not the woodcock's watery call；
Not the note the white…throat utters；
Not the feet of children pushing
Yellow leaves along the gutters
In the blue and bitter fall；
Shall content my musing mind
For the beauty of that sound
That in no new way at all
Ever will be heard again。
Sweetly through the sappy stalk
Of the vigorous weed；
Holding all it held before；
Cherished by the faithful sun；
On and on eternally
Shall your altered fluid run；
Bud and bloom and go to seed；
But your singing days are done；
But the music of your talk
Never shall the chemistry
Of the secret earth restore。
All your lovely words are spoken。
Once the ivory box is broken；
Beats the golden bird no more。
DIRGE
Boys and girls that held her dear；
Do your weeping now；
All you loved of her lies here。
Brought to earth the arrogant brow；
And the withering tongue
Chastened； do your weeping now。
Sing whatever songs are sung；
Wind whatever wreath；
For a playmate perished young；
For a spirit spent in death。
Boys and girls that held her dear；
All you loved of her lies here。
SONNETS
I
We talk of taxes； and I call you friend；
Well； such you are；but well enough we know
How thick about us root； how rankly grow
Those subtle weeds no man has need to tend；
That flourish through neglect； and soon must send
Perfume too sweet upon us and overthrow
Our steady senses； how such matters go
We are aware； and how such matters end。
Yet shall be told no meagre passion here；
With lovers such as we forevermore
Isolde drinks the draught； and Guinevere
Receives the Table's ruin through her door；
Francesca； with the loud surf at her ear；
Lets fall the colored book upon the floor。
II
Into the golden vessel of great song
Let us pour all our passion； breast to breast
Let other lovers lie； in love and rest；
Not we；articulate； so； but with the tongue
Of all the world： the churning blood； the long
Shuddering quiet； the desperate hot palms pressed
Sharply together upon the escaping guest；
The common soul； unguarded； and grown strong。
Longing alone is singer to the lute；
Let still on nettles in the open sigh
The minstrel； that in slumber is as mute
As any man； and love be far and high；
That else forsakes the topmost branch； a fruit
Found on the ground by every passer…by。
III
Not with libations； but with shouts and laughter
We drenched the altars of Love's sacred grove；
Shaking to earth green fruits； impatient after
The launching of the colored moths of Love。
Love's proper myrtle and his mother's zone
We bound about our irreligious brows；
And fettered him with garlands of our own；
And spread a banquet in his frugal house。
Not yet the god has spoken； but I fear
Though we should break our bodies in his flame；
And pour our blood upon his altar； here
Henceforward is a grove without a name；
A pasture to the shaggy goats of Pan；
Whence flee forever a woman and a man。
IV
Only until this cigarette is ended；
A little moment at the end of all；
While on the floor the quiet ashes fall；
And in the firelight to a lance extended；
Bizarrely with the jazzing music blended；
The broken shadow dances on the wall；
I will permit my memory to recall
The vision of you； by all my dreams attended。
And then adieu；farewell！the dream is done。
Yours is a face of which I can forget
The color and the features； every one；
The words not ever； and the smiles not yet；
But in your day this moment is the sun
Upon a hill； after the sun has set。
V
Once more into my arid days like dew；
Like wind from an oasis； or the sound
Of cold sweet water bubbling underground；
A treacherous messenger； the thought of you
Comes to destroy me； once more I renew
Firm faith in your abundance； whom I found
Long since to be but just one other mound
Of sand； whereon no green thing ever grew。
And once again； and wiser in no wise；
I chase your colored phantom on the air；
And sob and curse and fall and weep and rise
And stumble pitifully on to where；
Miserable and lost； with stinging eyes；
Once more I clasp；and there is nothing there。
VI
No rose that in a garden ever grew；
In Homer's or in Omar's or in mine；
Though buried under centuries of fine
Dead dust of roses； shut from sun and dew
Forever； and forever lost from view；
But must again in fragrance rich as wine
The grey aisles of the air incarnadine
When the old summers surge into a new。
Thus when I swear； 〃I love with all my heart；〃
'Tis with the heart of Lilith that I swear；
'Tis with the love of Lesbia and Lucrece；
And thus as well my love must lose some part
Of what it is； had Helen been less fair；
Or perished young； or stayed at home in Greece。
VII
When I too long have looked upon your face；
Wherein for me a brightness unobscured
Save by the mists of brightness has its place；
And terrible beauty not to be endured；
I turn away reluctant from your light；
And stand irresolute； a mind undone；
A silly； dazzled thing deprived of sight
From having looked too long upon the sun。
Then is my daily life a narrow room
In which a little while； uncertainly；
Surrounded by impenetrable gloom；
Among familiar things grown strange to me
Making my way； I pause； and feel； and hark；
Till I become accustomed to the dark。
VIII
And you as well must die； beloved dust；
And all your beauty stand you in no stead；
This flawless； vital hand； this perfect head；
This body of flame and steel； before the gust
Of Death； or under his autumnal frost；
Shall be as any leaf； be no less dead
Than the first leaf that fell；this wonder fled。
Altered； estranged； disintegrated； lost。
Nor shall my love avail you in your hour。
In spite of all my love； you will ari