Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE NEW MOON, by THEODOSIA (PICKERING) GARRISON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE NEW MOON, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Why do you shiver? Has the air grown chill?
Last Line: There is no light could make your eyes more blue!
Alternate Author Name(s): Faulks, Frederick J., Mrs.
Subject(s): Beauty; Light; Moon; Spring; Tides


[A Wood in Ionia. Teleon and Chloe]

TELEON

WHY do you shiver? Has the air grown chill?
Your hand seems almost lifeless in my hold --
Like some white flower frost hath touched to kill.

CHLOE

Is it your hand or mine that has grown cold?
Nay, let mine go. How silent is the night --
Dull as drugged slumber and as void of dreams.
Have you no speech?

TELEON

But yestermonth how bright
The moon was -- like a hundred golden streams
Poured down at once from Heaven was its light.

CHLOE

You spoke not of it then; you only said --

TELEON

What said I? Ah, have you forgotten quite?

CHLOE

Why raise the ghosts of sweet words that are dead?
We have no words to-night, we only know
Something most exquisite and glorious
Has gone from us, who might not watch it go,
Leaving these empty, soulless shells of us,
Empty of feeling, as a stringless lute
Is dumb of music. And I know not why.

TELEON

I may not answer. All my heart is mute
Like a stunned thing. I only know that I
Am beggared of all bliss, who yesterday
Was as a king, who knew none kinglier
In joy of living and my right to say,
"Mine! Mine! the arms, the eyes, the mouth of her!"
Who took from me this wondrous heritage,
This birthright of desire?

CHLOE

Ah! ask me not.
What matters it that once in some gold age
Two dreamed and kissed and wondered -- and forgot.

TELEON

Forgot! Will you forget?

CHLOE

It is my prayer.
The gods are kind. What profit may there be
In weaving withered garlands for one's hair --
Poor, scentless aftermaths of ecstasy!

TELEON

I crowned you once with flowers -- poppies red
As a maid's mouth that waits her lover's kiss.

CHLOE

How your hands trembled!

TELEON

And the words you said?

CHLOE

"O Love, I ask no queenlier crown than this."
And there was silence for a little space.

TELEON

I saw the great tears gather to your eyes,
And then --

CHLOE

Why then, your kisses on my face.
Full noon it was, and over us the skies
Arched like the dome of some great temple, blue
As Venus' eyes; the sun, that flame that stirs
Ever upon her altar, and we two
High Priests, with all the birds for choristers.

TELEON

It was a holy spot wherein we stood.
Think you the path is lost?

CHLOE

Hark! Heard you?

TELEON

Yea,
Methought I heard a bird song in the wood --
A bird that wakens in a dream of day.

CHLOE

How wonderful his voice this moonless night!
There was a night I heard another song
Come through the wood like that; the world was white
With the new Spring; you had been absent long
On a far journey; and, too sad for fear,
I came alone to this our trysting place,
With little hope; when sudden, far and clear,
I heard your voice that sang, and all the space
Between us straight was bridged with melody
Whereon my heart met yours ere yet you came.
Yet seemed the coming over-long to me.

TELEON

I caught your hands in mine and said your name
Once only -- and was dumb for very bliss.

CHLOE

How swift the night went by! How glad we were!
And in your hands my two hands lay like this.

TELEON

And thus I kissed you, lips and brow and hair.
Ah, but you tremble!

CHLOE

Hark! that bird anew.
Listen, nay listen, hear how loud he sings?

TELEON

Give me your hands.

CHLOE

Ah, but he sings not true.
That is a song of Spring's, a song of Spring's,
And this is Winter.

TELEON

Now, if Spring be gone,
She comes again, for in this heart of mine
A something breaks in blossom, and the sun
Thrills in my veins and stirs my blood like wine.

CHLOE

And I -- I know not if to laugh or weep.
My heart is as a prisoned thing set free,
A wakened thing that starts new-born from sleep.
What means this joy?

TELEON

Look in my eyes and see.
How beautiful you are!

CHLOE

Nay, but my eyes
Are drowned in yours.

TELEON

Ah, closer -- closer still.

CHLOE

Kiss from my lips their sacrilege and lies,
Ere this new bliss grow great enough to kill,
These lips that said, "I love no more!"

TELEON

But see!
What light is this?

CHLOE

Perchance that glad bird's tune
Made visible, fine gold.

TELEON

Nay, heart of me,
Lean from my arms and turn and look.

CHLOE

The Moon!

TELEON

The New Moon that is builded of the old,
The Old Moon born again into the New.

[Silence]

CHLOE

Its light hath crowned your head with very gold.

TELEON

There is no light could make your eyes more blue!





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