O thou with whom I dallied Through all the hours of noon, -- Sweet water-boy, more pallid Than any watery moon; Above they body turning White lily-buds were strewn: Alas, the silver morning, Alas, the golden noon! Alas, the clouds of sorrow, The waters of despair! I sought thee on the morrow, And never found thee there. Since first I saw thee splendid, Since last I called thee fair, My happy ways have ended By waters of despair. The pool that was thy dwelling I hardly knew again, So black it was, and swelling With bitter wind and rain. Amid the reeds I lingered Between desire and pain Till evening, rosy-fingered, Beckoned to night again. Yet once when sudden quiet Had visited the skies, And stilled the stormy riot, I looked upon thine eyes. I saw they wept and trembled With glittering mysteries, But yellow clouds assembled Redarkening the skies. O listless thou art lying In waters cool and sweet, While I, dumb brother, dying, Faint in the desert heat. Though thou dost love another, Still let my lips entreat: Men call me fair, O brother, And women honey-sweet. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MY DEATH AS A GIRL I KNEW by JAMES GALVIN TO SEE THE STARS IN DAYLIGHT by JAMES GALVIN LOVE'S TENDRILS by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON THE ARABIAN SHAWL by KATHERINE MANSFIELD THE LAWYER'S INVOCATION TO SPRING by HENRY HOWARD BROWNELL EARLY MORN by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES A NOCTURNAL REVERIE by ANNE FINCH |