Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, KING'S RANSOM, by ELINOR WYLIE


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KING'S RANSOM, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: About the emperor's thumb revolving
Last Line: This little moon's enormous value!
Alternate Author Name(s): Benet, William Rose, Mrs.


About the Emperor's thumb revolving,
Mouthed by Manchu's enameleld dragon;
Upon the damasked barge, dissolving
Within the deep Egyptian flagon;

Downcast before the swine by Circe;
Poised between double diamond prisms;
Clipped by the horse-shoe nail that hearsay
Declares a cure for rheumatisms;

If the artificer be a Vulcan
Or microscopical Cellini
To set an eyeball for a falcon
Or carve a button for a genie, --

And whether cupped in gold or copper,
In frigid silver or the burly
Embrace of bronze; stained by the upper
Cloud colors, or profound sea-pearly, --

Whether consuming or congealing
In fire or salt, O never shall you
Find an enchantment for concealing
This little moon's enormous value!





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