Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE TRIBUTE: 6, by HILDA DOOLITTLE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE TRIBUTE: 6, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: With these we will cry to another
Last Line: For our city's sake.
Alternate Author Name(s): H. D.; Aldington, Richard, Mrs.
Subject(s): Bible; Poverty; Social Protest


With these we will cry to another,
with these we will stand apart
to lure some god to our city,
to hail him:
return from your brake,
your copse or your forest haunt.

O spirit still left to our city,
we call to your wooded haunt,
we cry:
O daemon of grasses,
O spirit of simples and roots,
O gods of the plants of the earth --

O god of the simples and grasses,
we cry to you now from our hearts,
O heal us -- bring balm for our sickness,
return and soothe us with bark
and hemlock and feverwort.

O god of the power to strike out
memory of terror past,
bring branch of heal-all and tufts,
of the sweet and the bitter grass,
bring shaft and flower of the reeds
and cresses and meadow plants.

Return -- look again on our city,
though the people cry through the streets,
though they hail another,
have pity -- return to our gates,
with a love as great as theirs,
we entreat you
for our city's sake.





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