Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A LETTER, by CONSTANCE CAROLINE WOODHILL NADEN Poet's Biography First Line: Only a woman's letter, brown with age Last Line: Let us rejoice, while yet the sun doth shine. Subject(s): Letters; Women | ||||||||
ONLY a woman's letter, brown with age, Yet breathing deathless love, too strong and deep E'er to be told, save by the written page, That cannot blush, or hesitate, or weep: Only a letter, treasured by the dead; Voiceful, yet ever powerless to impart Its hidden melodies to any heart Alien from hers who wrote, from his who read; Save as a lute long silent, waked at last By heedless fingers, or by winds that thrill The chords untuned, may feebly murmur still Some love-sweet echoes from the tuneful past. Take my one treasure: take, and ever keep My whole heart's love: nor shall the gift be vain, Although it cannot bring you rest from pain, Nor glad forgetfulness, nor tranquil sleep. Oh, that my power were boundless as my love! Then would I give to him I hold so dear Joys faintly dreamt by many an ancient seer, Chanting sweet fables of the heavens above. "Alas," I thought, "such dreams are all too bright, Too poor am I, of god-like gifts to sing;" But you have said that even these I bring; You tell me, that to raptured touch and sight, I seem the essence of ethereal Spring, The incarnation of perfume and light. Wherefore I will not grieve, but gladly twine Amid your mellow fruit my virgin flowers: All have their time for love, and this is ours; Let us rejoice, while yet the sun doth shine. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ARISTOTLE TO PHYLLIS by JOHN HOLLANDER A WOMAN'S DELUSION by SUSAN HOWE JULIA TUTWILER STATE PRISON FOR WOMEN by ANDREW HUDGINS THE WOMEN ON CYTHAERON by ROBINSON JEFFERS TOMORROW by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD LADIES FOR DINNER, SAIPAN by KENNETH KOCH GOODBYE TO TOLERANCE by DENISE LEVERTOV A MODERN APOSTLE by CONSTANCE CAROLINE WOODHILL NADEN |
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