Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE BREATH OF SWEET, by JOHN FREEMAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE BREATH OF SWEET, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Now did wallflower breathe
Last Line: His cold shade beneath.
Subject(s): Death; Flowers; Gardens & Gardening; Heaven; Rebirth; Dead, The; Paradise


Now did wallflower breathe
Where most was Eden wanted. Clear and sweet
It sprang out of her breast upon the air,
Like a bird flying beneath
High white clouds where
The blue floats in a broken cloud amid the white.
Now did wallflower breathe,
As if the earth in sudden sweet
Poured out passionate heat.
... Or smell or bird that from her bosom leapt
Where the deep-glowing petals slept
Upon her bosom's heat:
Or bird or smell it was some heavenward thing
Flying a sudden wing
Across the morning hour, making the fair more fair.

O, if but wallflower breathe
Its sweet unageing and intense,
Then if death neared her (as I passed her) blind.
The smell might thrill his nerves with sight and make him a little kind.
—But no! No earthly and no spiritual sense
Would stir and make him less than death
Or less than blind;
Though in her bosom wallflower burned with sweet
His cold shade beneath.





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