The Sirens once were maidens innocent That through the water-meads with Proserpine Plucked no fire-hearted flowers, but were content Cool fritillaries and flag-flowers to twine, With lilies woven and with wet woodbine; Till once they sought the bright Etn…an flowers, And their bright mistress fled from summer hours With Hades, down the irremeable decline. And they have sought her all the wide world through, Till many years, and wisdom, and much wrong Have filled and changed their song, and o'er the blue Rings deadly sweet the magic of the song; And whoso hears must listen till he die Far on the flowery shores of Sicily. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FOR A' THAT AND A' THAT by CHARLES WILLIAM SHIRLEY BROOKS THE KINGFISHER by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES THE MESSAGES by WILFRID WILSON GIBSON TO ELECTRA (1) by ROBERT HERRICK GIVE ME THE SPLENDID SILENT SUN by WALT WHITMAN THE LEPRECAUN, OR THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM |