Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, NAIAD, by JOHN FREEMAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

NAIAD, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Couch thy dew'd head, naiad, amid the long
Last Line: Vainly thy silver'd shape among reedy shoals to hide.
Subject(s): Immortality


COUCH thy dew'd head, Naiad, amid the long
Thick-tangling warm wet grasses.
In slow confus'd procession passes
The shadow of time,
As in bright harness up and down the sky
Trampling the clouds the sun flaunts by,
A peacock with vain tenting plumes tossed high,

Such hues as mortal women love, to shroud
Their mortal shape quick fading,
Such hues thou need'st not nor the braiding
Of gem-prick'd ribands in thy hair.
Naiad, thy breast
Sunk in the grass, thy half-seen pale limbs prest
Where shadows tremble, thy head where shadows rest—

Naiad, these are of dreams the startled bliss,
Of dreams the sharp bliss, chilling
Proud fevers, the quick blood's furies stilling;
Of dreams the whispering bliss.

... Now the idle wind awakes,
The nodding hemp's rich purple shakes
Her sweet upon thy sense, and the shadow breaks

Around thy head; thy head lifts slowly, musing
Thine eyes averted.
Keep so thy look averted,
Lest seeing mine thou plunge in the cavern'd deep.
When the dusk darkens, slide
Soundless thy young-moon-body in the tide,
Vainly thy silver'd shape among reedy shoals to hide.





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