I EACH of us like you has died once, each of us like you has passed through drift of wood-leaves cracked and bent and tortured and unbent in the winter frost— then burnt into gold points, lighted afresh, crisp amber, scales of gold-leaf, gold turned and re-welded in the sun-heat. Each of us like you has died once, each of us has crossed an old wood-path and found the winter leaves so golden in the sun-fire that even the live wood-flowers were dark. II Not the gold on the temple-front where you stand is as gold as this, not the gold that fastens your sandal, nor the gold reft through your chiseled locks is as gold as this last year's leaf, not all the gold hammered and wrought and beaten on your lover's face, brow and bare breast is as golden as this. Each of us like you has died once, each of us like you stands apart, like you fit to be worshiped. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...PARAGRAPHS: 16 by HAYDEN CARRUTH BABY RUNNING BAREFOOT by DAVID HERBERT LAWRENCE THE BELLS OF SHANDON by FRANCIS SYLVESTER MAHONY AMOR MUNDI by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI RED HANRAHAN'S SONG ABOUT IRELAND by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS HELIADES: ZEUS, BRAZEN THUNDER-HURLER by AESCHYLUS ON THE DEATH OF THE PRINCESS CHARLOTTE by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 41. TO THE 'UNKNOWABLE' GOD by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) |