Oh, Agathocles, fare thee well! Naked and brave thou goest Without one glance behind! Hast thou no fear, Agathocles, Or backward grief of mind? The dreamy dog beside thee Presses against thy knee; He, too, oh, sweet Agathocles, Is deaf and visioned like thee. Thou art so lithe and lovely And yet thou art not ours. What Delphic saying compels thee Of kings or topless towers? That little blowing mantle Thou losest from thine arm -- No shoon nor staff, Agathocles, Nor sword, to fend from harm! Thou hast the changed impersonal Awed brow of mystery -- Yesterday thou wast burning, Mad boy, for Glaucoe. Philis thy mother calls thee: Mine eyes with tears are dim, Turn once, look once, Agathocles -- ( The gods have blinded him. ) Come back, Agathocles, the night -- Brings thee what place of rest? Wine-sweet are Glaucoe's kisses, Flower-soft her budding breast. He seems to hearken, Glaucoe, He seems to listen and smile; ( Nay, Philis, but a god-song He follows this many a mile. ) Come back, come back, Agathocles! ( He scents the asphodel; Unearthly swift he runneth. ) Agathocles, farewell! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...KEARNY AT SEVEN PINES [MAY 31, 1862] by EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN AFTER SUNSET by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM CASTLES OF THE SEA by HARRY RANDOLPH BLYTHE A PEASANT WOMAN'S SONG by DION BOUCICAULT A HINT TO CHRISTIAN POETS by JOHN BYROM OUT OF THE SHADOWS: AN UNFINISHED SONNET-SEQUENCE 6 by JOSEPH SEAMON COTTER JR. |