WHO shall command the heart, that wondrous Thing, That wild love-creature, roaming the wilderness, That none can tame? Roaming the world, devouring with eyes of flame, eyes of desire, All forms of heavenly Beauty? Say, little heart, that beatest pulses' here beneath the ribs, Who chained thee in this body? —what Titan ages agone?— Who muzzled thee to drive this crank machine, Thou wanderer of the woods, thou crimson leopard, No better than a turnspit? Nay, but thy 'prenticeship long enough surely thou hast served; The time has come, and thy full age and strength; The cage-bars hold no longer, and the body-machine breaks down; But thou art young and beautiful as ever. Wild pard who lovest thus to hunt with Man, I bid thee loose. Say, wilt thou come with me, and shall we ride, Companions of the Chase, the universe over? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...STANZAS FOR MUSIC (4) by GEORGE GORDON BYRON THE GRASS STEALERS by J. MURRAY ALLISON SHELLEY AND TRELAWNEY by JULIA COOLEY ALTROCCHI A CAUTION TO POETS by MATTHEW ARNOLD MY DEAREST WIFE by WILLIAM BARNES THE CARPENTER'S STORY by ARCHIE BINNS HINC LACHRIMAE; OR THE AUTHOR TO AURORA: 45 by WILLIAM BOSWORTH |