Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TO JOSEPHINE PRESTON PEABODY, by PERCY MACKAYE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TO JOSEPHINE PRESTON PEABODY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Conjuress, here / you've poured, all clear
Last Line: Fair befall her! — felicitations!
Alternate Author Name(s): Mackaye, Percy Wallace
Subject(s): Peabody, Josephine Preston (1874-1922)


(On first reading her play "The Wolf of Gubbio")

CONJURESS, here
You've poured, all clear,
In a cup, a carven crystal cup —
Pied with lights that flush and falter
And flower again —
All in a three-rimmed loving-cup
Fit for the dear Madonna's altar,
Where thieves and shrews and wolvish men
And wondering children may come to sup —
All in a cup, a shining cup,
Held by the trembling paws and fingers
Of your divine dog Fra Lupone
And him, his crony,
Whose loving laughter lingers
In the echo of song that bubbles so easy
In syllabling: d'Assissi! d'Assissi!
Him, large white soul in the simple wee body —
Pulsing, you've poured in a glowing cup
For joy of our generations —
Wine: wine distilled from the art
And the sheen
Of the mind and the heart
Of Josephine
Preston Peabody. —
Fair befall her! — Felicitations!





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