Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ELEGY, by YANNIS PAPADIAMANTOPOULOS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ELEGY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: More deep than darts from turkish strings
Last Line: Once filled all france with my renown.
Alternate Author Name(s): Moreas, Jean
Subject(s): Love


MORE deep than darts from Turkish strings
Love's wanton archery doth hurt
To rustic lads and royal kings.

For such a sloth of limbs inert
God had left David's body rent
Who ever held his loins girt.

Like Solomon grown indolent
Who erst a prophet greatly wise
Was at the last of glory shent.

Sly mouth and visage, with soft eyes
That hide fine snares of shamefulness
And a foul grave whence none arise:

Ev'n Agamemnon knew such stress;
When Menelaus wild Helen saw
Likewise did he grow comfortless.

Polyxen did Achilles awe;
For Omphale did Hercules
The soft wool round the distaff draw.

So Delecus for Stratonice
Became a slave; of Cressid fond
Did Troilus forget all ease.

Unto a swarthy visage bond
Brave Antony his blade let rust
And heard no more the trumpet sound.

Prudent in all save his own lust,
Aurelius for his Faustine fair
Did trail his laurels in the dust.

So am I held by her whose hair
Is fairer than is gold spun fine.
(Alas! the hard heart she doth bear),

So hapless is this love of mine,
No more can my weak breath be blown
To swell with song the reed divine

Once filled all France with my renown.





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