THE curving cranes with serpent necks Knotted on these enamelled streams, The gloating mouths thrust out to vex The red-eyed war-gods' frenzy dreams, The inscrutable and dog-like grin Of demi-lions lock me in! With countless crafty manacles Dead men's dexterity strives to bind, Like some machine that all but feels, The amazed and apathizing mind. Cornices, crannies, shape in shape, Bud glittering eyes, defy escape. Heavily hangs this haughty air, Drum, knell and drone commingling slow; Claw-tendrils reach, man-monsters glare; The victim heart prepares to know Art's terror, dragon genius -- till Thought spies one rose or daffodil. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AN AUGUST MIDNIGHT by THOMAS HARDY GATHERING SONG OF DONALD [OR, DONUI DHU] THE BLACK by WALTER SCOTT LAURENCE BLOOMFIELD IN IRELAND: 10. THE FAIR by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM EN TOUR; A SONG SEQUENCE: 4. FOR FRANCES ANN by ALBERTA BANCROFT A WOMAN SCALY by WILLIAM BLAKE OCTAVES by THOMAS EDWARD BROWN |