Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TO A DANCER OF TANAGRA; FOR EMMA WILLARD SCUDDER KEYES, by                    
First Line: Around thee, barefoot girl, there float
Last Line: Our hearts make music yet.
Alternate Author Name(s): Gill, Roderick; Strange, Garrett
Subject(s): Dancing & Dancers


AROUND thee, barefoot girl, there float
The comely draperies of Greece;
Still sways thy form as to some note
Of childhood that can never cease.

Ho, for thy crystal skies!—the throngs
In Prosperine's or Dion's rite
Trailing the mountain towns with songs
And garlands,—till again the night

Finds in thy votive breast a flame
As on the altars. Hush,—dost hear
Thy lover whispering thy name,
Corinna,—or was't Thelaïre?

Soft through the moonlit vines the flute
Trills forth,—and thou art fain to dance,
Lithe girl of Tánagra. How mute
The syrinx that could so entrance!—

Now o'er our fireplace let no blast
Nor memory touch thee with regret;
Dance on,—frail terra-cotta cast,—
Our hearts make music yet.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...



Home: PoetryExplorer.net