Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE WEDDING OF THE ROSE AND THE LOTOS, by NICHOLAS VACHEL LINDSAY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE WEDDING OF THE ROSE AND THE LOTOS, by                 Poet's Biography
First Line: The wide pacific waters
Last Line: To wed the red red rose!
Alternate Author Name(s): Lindsay, Vachel
Subject(s): Flowers; Lotus; Roses; Lotos


The wide Pacific waters
And the Atlantic meet.
With cries of joy they mingle,
In tides of love they greet.
Above the drowned ages
A wind of wooing blows: --
The red rose woos the lotos,
The lotos woos the rose . . .

The lotos conquered Egypt.
The rose was loved in Rome.
Great India crowned the lotos:
(Britain the rose's home).
Old China crowned the lotos,
They crowned it in Japan.
But Christendom adored the rose
Ere Christendom began . . .

The lotos speaks of slumber:
The rose is as a dart.
The lotos is Nirvana:
The rose is Mary's heart.
The rose is deathless, restless,
The splendor of our pain:
The flush and fire of labor
That builds, not all in vain. . . .

The genius of the lotos
Shall heal earth's too-much fret.
The rose, in blinding glory,
Shall waken Asia yet.
Hail to their loves, ye peoples!
Behold, a world-wind blows,
That aids the ivory lotos
To wed the red red rose!








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