COULD Juno's self more sovereign presence wear Than thou, 'mid other ladies throned in grace?-- Or Pallas, when thou bend'st with soul-stilled face O'er poet's page gold-shadowed in thy hair? Dost thou than Venus seem less heavenly fair When o'er the sea of love's tumultuous trance Hovers thy smile, and mingles with thy glance That sweet voice like the last wave murmuring there? Before such triune loveliness divine Awestruck I ask, which goddess here most claims That prize that, howsoe'er adjudged, is thine? Then Love breathes low the sweetest of thy names; And Venus Victrix to my heart doth bring Herself, the Helen of her guerdoning. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE LAST LEAF by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES THE PAST IS THE PRESENT by MARIANNE MOORE STRANGE FILAMENT by LILLIAN M. (PETTES) AINSWORTH A SHADOW OF THE NIGHT by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH AFTER YEARS by JOHANNA AMBROSIUS TABULA SECUNDA IN NAUFRAGIO by JOSEPH BEAUMONT AUTUMN TINTS by MATHILDE BLIND |