Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE POWERS OF THE AIR: 4, by THOMAS STURGE MOORE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE POWERS OF THE AIR: 4, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Over latmos slowed the moon
Last Line: Loiters full many a night upon that hill.
Alternate Author Name(s): Moore, T. Sturge


(From The Powers of the Air)
OVER Latmos slowed the moon:
Endymion on the hill
Slept in the warm summer night
Without a blanket; still
The forest lay beneath, the sea beyond.
Out of her halting car with grace
Selene leaned to view his face:
Her gaze grew fond
For her high solitary heart was stirred
With wonder at the fashion of his youth.
But though her blood sing loud, his has not heard
Her flushed austerity confess the truth
That she is formed to share that sleep
And mingle life with his and give
And take joy neither he nor she could keep.
Yes, there is time to clear her stately mind,
Glance on through future years and find
Incompatible his mortal with
Her immortalities.
And when she gave the kiss
She meant that it should change
His flesh to marble and that he should lie
Shapely and naked under every sky,
Whether her car athwart the ether range
Or darkness fill with 'wildering snow
Or storms bring deluges of rain
Or under star or sunlight or grey day
A steady windy clearness flow
Over the lone top. Yea,
He lies as he has lain,
Posture unchanged, although the face
Have weathered, and grey lichen stain
And crust youth's nigh obliterated grace
Till strangers might pass by, but shepherds say
"Yon stone man sleeps" to turn their eyes his way
"Since granfeyther's granfeyther's time and 'fore."
Yet spring and summer still
Selene as of yore
Loiters full many a night upon that hill.





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