Classic and Contemporary Poetry
FRAGMENT OF THE ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF ADONIS, by BION Poet's Biography First Line: I mourn adonis dead - loveliest adonis Last Line: That Variant Title(s): Lament For Adonis Subject(s): Adonis; Mythology - Classical | ||||||||
I MOURN Adonis dead -- loveliest Adonis -- Dead, dead Adonis -- and the Loves lament. Sleep no more, Venus, wrapped in purple woof. Wake, violet-stoled queen, and weave the crown Of Death -- 't is Misery calls -- for he is dead! The lovely one lies wounded in the mountains, His white thigh struck with the white tooth; he scarce Yet breathes; and Venus hangs in agony there. The dark blood wanders o'er his snowy limbs, His eyes beneath their lids are lustreless, The rose has fled from his wan lips, and there That kiss is dead, which Venus gathers yet. A deep, deep wound Adonis ... A deeper Venus bears upon her heart. See, his beloved dogs are gathering round -- The Oread nymphs are weeping. Aphrodite With hair unbound is wandering through the woods, Wildered, ungirt, unsandalled -- the thorns pierce Her hastening feet and drink her sacred blood. Bitterly screaming out she is driven on Through the long vales; and her Assyrian boy, Her love, her husband calls. The purple blood From his struck thigh stains her white navel now, Her bosom, and her neck before like snow. Alas for Cytherea! the Loves mourn -- The lovely, the beloved is gone! -- And now Her sacred beauty vanishes away. For Venus whilst Adonis lived was fair -- Alas! her loveliness is dead with him. The oaks and mountains cry, Ai! ai! Adonis! The springs their waters change to tears and weep -- The flowers are withered up with grief ... Ai! ai! Adonis is dead Echo resounds Adonis dead. Who will weep not thy dreadful woe, O Venus? Soon as she saw and knew the mortal wound Of her Adonis -- saw the life blood flow From his fair thigh, now wasting, wailing loud She clasped him, and cried 'Stay Adonis! Stay, dearest one, -- and mix my lips with thine! Wake yet a while Adonis -- oh, but once! That I may kiss thee now for the last time -- But for as long as one short kiss may live! Oh, let thy breath flow from thy dying soul Even to my mouth and heart, that I may suck That | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BOOK OF THE DEAD MAN (#11): 1. ABOUT THE DEAD MAN AND MEDUSA by MARVIN BELL THE BOOK OF THE DEAD MAN (#11): 2. MORE ABOUT THE DEAD MAN AND MEDUSA by MARVIN BELL THE BIRTH OF VENUS by HAYDEN CARRUTH LEDA 2: A NOTE ON VISITATIONS by LUCILLE CLIFTON LEDA 3: A PERSONAL NOTE (RE: VISITATIONS) by LUCILLE CLIFTON UNEXPECTED HOLIDAY by STEPHEN DOBYNS IDYLL 1. LAMENT FOR ADONIS by BION |
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