Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BEFORE DAWN, by WILLIAM ALEXANDER PERCY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BEFORE DAWN, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Breath of the dawn, breath of the dawn
Last Line: Purify me.
Subject(s): Dawn; Sea; Soul; Sunrise; Ocean


Breath of the dawn, breath of the dawn,
Breathe on my heart of thine eagerness.
Up from the sea, youthful with thee,
Be drawn
For a spell and a healing to me
In my stress.

With the shining of silver yet on thy feet,
With the fleeing of stars that are flameless fleet,
With the cool of the sea for the cool of thine eyes,
Arise
And come to my need!
From the grey of the unstarred eastern skies
Oh, speed!

Up from the sea, up from the sea,
Come with thine eagerness, girlishly;
Sweep with the quiver and gleaming of thee
Dark from my heart like dew from the lawn;
With the cool of thy coming, half stars and half sun,
Deliver my soul from the deeds that are done --
Breath of the dawn, breath of the dawn,
Purify me.





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