Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, NARCISSUS (1), by JAMES ELROY FLECKER


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

NARCISSUS (1), by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: O thou with whom I dallied
Last Line: And women honey-sweet.
Subject(s): Mythology - Classical; Narcissus (mythology)


O thou with whom I dallied
Through all the hours of noon, --
Sweet water-boy, more pallid
Than any watery moon;
Above they body turning
White lily-buds were strewn:
Alas, the silver morning,
Alas, the golden noon!

Alas, the clouds of sorrow,
The waters of despair!
I sought thee on the morrow,
And never found thee there.
Since first I saw thee splendid,
Since last I called thee fair,
My happy ways have ended
By waters of despair.

The pool that was thy dwelling
I hardly knew again,
So black it was, and swelling
With bitter wind and rain.
Amid the reeds I lingered
Between desire and pain
Till evening, rosy-fingered,
Beckoned to night again.

Yet once when sudden quiet
Had visited the skies,
And stilled the stormy riot,
I looked upon thine eyes.
I saw they wept and trembled
With glittering mysteries,
But yellow clouds assembled
Redarkening the skies.

O listless thou art lying
In waters cool and sweet,
While I, dumb brother, dying,
Faint in the desert heat.
Though thou dost love another,
Still let my lips entreat:
Men call me fair, O brother,
And women honey-sweet.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net