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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PERFECTION NEVER, by ELSA GIDLOW Poet's Biography First Line: Nothing is formed wholly Last Line: The finished diamond, death. | |||
Nothing is formed wholly Good, without seam Of evil; nothing unflecked In the mortal scheme. A raindrop glistens pure: Not the river. The crystaline pool Shows weeds to the diver. Eyes aching for wholeness glimpse Perfection beyond reach, Snare the branch: grasp The worm with the peach. Always the spotted truth; always Evil coiled with good, Nations great with blood-glory, Spelling justice with blood. Rare the virtue unsmutched, Emerald without flaw. Should wisdom find sorrow In this law? Courage would not be And no man afraid. A fault in the sun's mass The solar system made. Perfection never Was goal of body's breath. Who seek this jewel find The finished diamond, death. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FOR THE GODDESS TOO WELL KNOWN by ELSA GIDLOW THE THANKSGIVING IN BOSTON HARBOR [JUNE 12, 1630] by HEZEKIAH BUTTERWORTH A HEALTH by EDWARD COATE PINKNEY IN MEMORY OF WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE THE FAMINE YEAR by JANE FRANCESCA WILDE PARTY CARD NO. 224332 by ALEXANDR ILYICH BEZYMENSKY PSALM 4; AUGUST 10, 1653 by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE MR. SLUDGE, THE MEDIUM by ROBERT BROWNING TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 3. A LONG JOURNEY by EDWARD CARPENTER |
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