Classic and Contemporary Poetry
IN PRAISE OF ABRIGADA, by LEONORA SPEYER Poet's Biography First Line: I had been told Last Line: With abrigada's gesture toward the sky. | ||||||||
I had been told A foolish tale -- Of stone -- dank -- cold: But you, Held to wide winter storm, To clutch of blackening frost and ocean gale, Are warm! I thought that stone was silent too, Unmoved by beauty, Unaware of season or of mirth: But I hear laughter, singing, as I lay My face against your gray; Surely I hear the ritual of far waves And scent their winging spray, Mixed with wild-rose and honeysuckle, Budding sassafras, And the cool breath of pungent, leafy bay. I knew that walls were sheltering And strong; But you have sheltered love so long That love is part Of your high towering, Lifting you higher still, As heart lifts heart. . . . Hush! How the whip-poor-will Wails from his bush: The thrush Grows garrulous with delight! There is a rapture in that liquid monotone, "Bob White! Bob -- White!" Dear living stone! . . . . . . . . In the great room below, Where arches hold the listening spaces, Flames crackle, leap and gleam In the deep fire-places; Memories dream . . . Of other memories, perhaps, Of gentle lives, Of births, and of those other births that men call death, Of voices, foot-steps tapping the stone floor, And faces . . . faces . . . Beyond, the open door, The meadows drowsy with the moon, The faint outline of dune, The lake, the silver magic in the trees: Walls, you are one with these! . . . . . . . . High on the loggia-roof, Under the stars as pale as they, Two silent ones have crept away, Seeking the deeper silence lovers know: Into the radiant shadows of the night, Into the aching beauty of the night, They dare to go! The moon Is a vast cocoon, Spinning her wild, white thread Across the sky. A thousand crickets croon Their sharp-edged lullaby. I hear a murmuring of lips on lips: "All that I am, beloved! All!" -- Lovers' eternal cry! Lift them still higher, wall! . . . . . . . . You stand serene: The great winds linger, lean Upon your breast; The mist Lifts up a gray face to be kissed; The east and west Hang you with banners, Flaunt their bold victories of dusk and dawn; Seasons salute you as they pass, Call to you and are gone. Amid your meadow-grass Lush, green, You stand serene. . . . . . . . . Houses, like hearts, are living, loving, Joyful or woeful, Forget or are forgot; Houses, like tired hearts, Sicken at last, and die, Crumble and rot: But they who know you, Abrigada, They -- and I -- Forget you not! Nor they who stand on Abrigada's roof, Glowing, aloof! . . . . . . . . Come with me now, Climb with me, stand, look down In new content of mood, Withdrawn from clasp of crowd And tangle of the town! Climb swifter still -- From safe companionship of cloud The deeper to look down! Not back! Forget the thirst, the sordid cup, The plethora, the piteous lack; Forget the trafficking in tears, The arrogance of scars. Look up . . . To dream undaunted dreams aloud, And stumble toward the stars! . . . . . . . . This be in praise Of Abrigada; In all the ways That come to me Through the wise, wistful summer days. In speech, in rhyme and rhythm of word -- Call it a poem, maybe! In song -- tuck the brown shining wood Under my chin! Call it my bird, My heart, My violin! In prayer . . . In dream . . . In silence, best of all, Leaning on the beloved dew-drenched wall. Leaning and lifting . . . High . . . With Abrigada's gesture toward the sky. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A CRABBED SONG OF SPRING by LEONORA SPEYER A NOTE FROM THE PIPES by LEONORA SPEYER APRIL ON THE BATTLEFIELDS by LEONORA SPEYER BALLAD OF OLD DOC HIGGINS by LEONORA SPEYER BAVARIAN ROADSIDE by LEONORA SPEYER CRICKETS AT DAWN by LEONORA SPEYER DUET (I SING WITH MYSELF) by LEONORA SPEYER FIDDLER'S FAREWELL by LEONORA SPEYER I'LL BE YOUR EPITAPH by LEONORA SPEYER |
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