Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE AWAKENING, by RICHARD EUGENE BURTON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE AWAKENING, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The beauties of the world do master me
Last Line: And make my nest and sing the joy thereof.
Subject(s): Beauty; Dreams; Kisses; Love; Soul; Nightmares


THE beauties of the world do master me:
They put my soul in such a heavy swoon
I may not sing of half the love I see
Beneath the sun, beneath the lady moon.
Love, wake me from this languor deep, that I
May truly sing of beauty ere I die.

Wake me by bending down thy dreamful face
And touching lips to mine swoon-bounden; then
My soul shall leap and quiver in its place,
And I shall turn the mightiest of men,
A master there, with Earth and Sky my slave,
Because of that one kiss my mistress gave.

Day's sweetest flower shall witness to me make,
Night's boldest star send messages of fire,
And all the birds that be, for love's sole sake,
Shall quicken wing to come at my desire;
While hearts of humankind hot-beating, cold,
Draw nigh and house with me till days are old.

The morning's challenge in the changeful east --
A challenge to the heart to live anew --
Shall steal into whatever words the least
My song shall fashion tenderly and true.
The wonder of the sundown in the west
Shall shine again, and so be twice expressed.

The sweetest sounds of music shall unite
My dreams to sister-dreams, as rosaries
Of carven beads are set and strung aright
Upon some silken cord sad nuns to please:
Each lovesome thought shall find a liquid sound,
And Love be doubly Love so set around.

The open fields shall offer honest cheer,
The woods, wind-shaken, sing a welcome-song,
And every wight who haunts the woodlands dear
Shall rate me as a mate to shield from wrong.
The sea the secret of his monotone,
An age-old thing, to me will tell alone.

Such powers shall be mine because you came
And kissed me once; whereat the deepest bliss
That ever mortal knew ran swift aflame
Straight to my soul, and taught me only this:
To step into the very deep of Love
And make my nest and sing the joy thereof.





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