A SCARLET bird upon her shoulder's snow Was perched, and whistled to his envious fellows; A thousand tints of feathers lit the air, Bewildering greens and reds and blues and yellows. Primeval glories clustered in her form; Uncramped her curves; she was the joy of Beauty. An unseen angel drank her with his eyes, Then trembled to the heart. His name was Duty. While innocently naked thus she stood, With lion-whelps and tiger-cubs around her, A wall of creepers parted. From the wood Leapt Adam—doubling Paradise—and found her. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CARPENTER'S SON by SARA TEASDALE THE DEATH OF THE FLOWERS by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT FAREWELL TO ARMS by GEORGE PEELE VIRGILS GNAT: DEDICATORY SONNET by EDMUND SPENSER A FINE DAY ON LOUGH SWILLY by WILLIAM ALEXANDER (1824-1911) |