Then, too, when beauteous Senesis Lived, no lovely thing there was Much less mortal than a rose, And all dancing and all limbs Had their dark and mortal close. Lovers said then too of death How more than the worm's mouth was owing One that drew a flower of lust; And then there were no such churls to yield Delicacy like hers to dust. So perfect now and bodily She lies lapped in cedarwood. Her still breasts are garlanded, And a gilded mask is over Her cold, shapely, dreamless head. O quick thing left thus as death stilled her, O ebony-straight, the painted slaves Still all the ritual treasure bring. Their mournful antique bodies make A grave and lovely gesturing. Surely then too when Senesis Lived, life was a piercing thing; Bright life, on which long darkness wars; And living then, to their brimmed hearts Came a sweet wondering at stars. They learnt how soon the petals fall On Egypt's or on any waters; How being that suckles chilly fear Is lovelier so, and dearest beauty As brief a jewel as a tear. How with this wisdom would they leave her, A thousand and a thousand springs, Lying with a stony heart; Nor ever suffer her sweet breast To drop as blossoms do apart? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MR. HOUSMAN'S MESSAGE by EZRA POUND SONNET: 130 by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE THE SENSITIVE PLANT by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY HARMONIE DU SOIR by CHARLES BAUDELAIRE TREES IN AUTUMN by ANNE MILLAY BREMER SONGS OF THE SEA CHILDREN: 48 by BLISS CARMAN GOLD! by PATRICK REGINALD CHALMERS |