Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE POET-HEART, by GRACE DENIO LITCHFIELD


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE POET-HEART, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: One day, in time's mythical ages
Last Line: Pain touched it once more.—and it broke.
Subject(s): Hearts; Pain; Poetry & Poets; Suffering; Misery


ONE day, in Time's mythical ages,
Fair Life, and her bond-servant Pain,
Her workman, who works without wages,
And wiser who is than all sages
That follow the stars in her train,

Together, in friendliest fashion
Sat framing a true poet-heart;
And with infinite care and compassion,
Life chose out each charm and each passion,
And blent them with marvellous art.

Now fairer, she cried, than Earth's fairest,
This exquisite spirit shall be,
Enriched with all gifts that are rarest.
Give heed that no power thou sparest
In moulding my poet for me.

Here are days that are golden and sunny,
And a heart made to gather their light,
And hoard it as misers hoard money,
And hold it as flowers hold honey,
And tremble and thrill with delight.

Take, take, without stint, without measure,
Of all that I have that is best;
Of beauty, of love, and of pleasure
Take richly, and make at thy leisure
A poet to sing me to rest.

And so from her store-house of graces,
Fair Life, with a smile, gave the whole,
While Pain, with the stillest of faces,
And fingers whose touch left no traces,
Wrought her of these a soul.

Then he stood up and said: It is ended,
And held forth his soul to the light—
A wondrous creation, where blended
Strange shadows, and sunlight so splendid
It darkened all else to the sight.

Life took and beheld it in gladness.
Such, cried she, true poets should be,
All ecstasy, rapture, and sadness,
Created in moments of madness,
And fashioned, O Pain-God, by thee.

This, sure, is thy ripest endeavour,
Cried Life, smiling soft as she spoke.
Now poet-heart, sing on forever!—
Alas! Earth will hear the song never.
Pain touched it once more.—And it broke.





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