Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, NORA, by FREDERICK WILLIAM HENRY MYERS


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

NORA, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: O nora knew it, nora knows
Last Line: And lovely, and a rose.
Alternate Author Name(s): Myers, Frederic
Subject(s): Flowers; Love; Roses


I

O NORA knew it, Nora knows
How Love lies hidden in a rose,
And touches mingle, touches part
The trembling flames of heart and heart.

Thrice happy! to have learnt that day
Her virginal bewitching way,
So airy-soft, so winning-wild,
Between the siren and the child.

O Nature's darling, pure and fair
From light foot to irradiant hair!
O Nora, Nora, bright and sweet
From clear brow to impetuous feet!

So glimmered wood and wave between
The starry presence of Undine,
In that first hour her bosom knew
What human hearts are born unto;—

For half-enchanted, half-afraid,
The nymph became a mortal maid;
A dewy light, a dear surprise,
Illumed her visionary eyes.

Then from their deeps a Spirit came;—
Undine was other and the same;—
For past resisting, past control,
Was very Love her very soul.

II

Last year, where mixed with many a rose
The gold laburnums wave,
A crimson rosebud Nora chose,
A bud my Nora gave.

And when the enchanting month anew
Revived the summer's boon,
And bright again the roses blew,
And all was joy and June,

A fair twin-bud for my delight
She from its cluster parts;—
Here are the petals, red and white,
Shaped like two sister hearts.

And now because the maid is dear
And ways between us long,—
Because I cannot call her here
With sighing or with song,—

Across the ocean, swift and soon,
This faded petal goes,
To her who is herself as June,
And lovely, and a rose.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net