The tree in youth, proud of his leaves and springs, His body shadowed in his glory lays, For none do fly with art or others' wings But they in whom all, save desire, decays; Again in age, when no leaves on them grow, Then borrow they their green of mistletoe. Where Caelica, when she was young and sweet, Adorned her head with golden borrowed hair To hide her own for cold, she thinks it meet The head should mourn that all the rest was fair; And now in age when outward things decay, In spite of age she throws that hair away. Those golden hairs she then used but to tie Poor captived souls which she in triumph led, Who not content the sun's fair light to eye, Within his glory their sense dazzled; And now again, her own black hair puts on To mourn for thoughts by her worths overthrown. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MISSIONARY HYMN by REGINALD HEBER OLD IRONSIDES by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES FIFTY YEARS (1863-1913) by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON LATE LEAVES by WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR AT ELLIS ISLAND by GEORGE LAWRENCE ANDREWS THE ARGONAUTS (ARGONATUICA): EROS AND HIS MOTHER by APOLLONIUS RHODIUS NEVERNESS, OR THE ONE SHIP BEACHED ON ONE FAR DISTANT SHORE by MARGARET AVISON |