Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, POIKILOTHRON, by SAPPHO



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

POIKILOTHRON, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: All-ador'd, all glorious aphrodita
Last Line: Victory with me.
Subject(s): Aphrodite; Love - Erotic; Love; Mythology - Classical


ALL-ADOR'D, all glorious Aphrodita,
Heavn's goddess mysterious, I beseech thee
With thy anguish and terror overwhelm not
My spirit, O queen:

But hither come thou, as, if e'er, aforetime
Thou to my crying from afar attentive
Harkenedst, an' out o' the golden archways
Unto me camest,

Harnessing thy fair flutterers, that earthward
Swiftly drew thee down to the dusky mountains,
Multitudinously winging from unseen
Heights o' the wide air,

And arrivèd, thrice-blessed, I beheld thee
Smiling on me beautiful and triumphant,
Heard thee asking of me what had befal'n me,
Why had I call'd thee,

And what I desir'd above all to comfort
My madden'd heart:—Who is it hath deny'd thee?
Shall not I subdue the rebel to thy love,
Sapph', an' avenge thee?

Come then, O queen: come to me and release me
From bitter woe. Stand my ally. The thing that
My spirit most longs for, accomplish, and win
Victory with me.




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