Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE FLUTE, by AMY LOWELL


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE FLUTE, by                 Poet's Biography
First Line: Stop! What are you doing?'
Last Line: "yes, a little. And it has lovely silver mountings."
Subject(s): Flutes


"Stop! What are you doing?"
"Playing on an old flute."
"That's Heine's flute. You must n't touch it."
"Why not, if I make it sound?"
"I don't know why not, but you must n't."
"I don't believe I can -- much. It's full of dust.
Still, listen:"

The rose moon whitens the lifting leaves.
Heigh-ho! the nightingale sings!
Through boughs and branches the moon-thread weaves.
Ancient as time are these midnight things.

The nightingale's notes over-bubble the night.
Heigh-ho! yet the night is so big!
He stands on his nest in a wafer of light
And the nest was once a philosopher's wig.

Moon-sharp needles and dew on the grass.
Heigh-ho! it flickers, the breeze!
Kings, philosophers, periwigs pass.
Nightingales hatch their eggs in the trees.

Wigs and pigs and kings and courts,
Heigh-ho! rain on the flower!
The old moon thinks her white, bright thoughts,
And trundles away before the shower.

"Well, you got it to play."
"Yes, a little. And it has lovely silver mountings."





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