SAID sprite o' me to body o' me: 'A malison on thee, trustless creature, That prat'st thyself mine effigy To them which view thy much misfeature. My hest thou no ways slav'st aright, Though slave-service be all thy nature: An evil thrall I have of thee, Thou adder coiled about delight!' Said body o' me to sprite o' me: 'Since bricks were wroughten without straw, Was never task-master like thee! Who art more evil of thy law Than Egypt's sooty Mizraim -- That beetle of an ancient dung: Naught recks it thee though I in limb Wax meagre -- so thy songs be sung.' Thus each by other is mis-said, And answereth with like despite; The spirit bruises body's head; The body fangs the heel of sprite; And either hath the other's wrong. And ye may see, that of this stour My heavy life doth fall her flower. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DE PROFUNDIS by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING THE PROSPECT by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING THE FIRST LESSON by EMILY DICKINSON PICTURES FROM APPLEDORE: 2 by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL RHOECUS by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL THE EAGLE AND THE MOLE by ELINOR WYLIE |