WING thy race when the night comes down, My cream-white bird with the scarlet mouth, Fly to my dear in the sea-walled town, Where she dreams her life in the soundless south: Nestle thee close to her yearning breast With a flutter of wings and a frightened stare, And all the love-notes she loveth best Breathe there! Breathe there! My cream-white bird with the scarlet mouth. Out from the fog on the cold sea-wall, The death-witch comes with her ruined hands; The thread of her voice is thin and small, Yet it whines afar over goodly lands! God have thee in keeping, my cream-white bird, My gentle queen lulled in love's mysteries, -- God help thee! the tune of thy voice she has heard: She sees! She sees! The gaunt death-witch with the ruined hands. She is weaving and weaving thy winding-sheet, My beautiful love with the dreaming eyes; Her red tears fall and shall snare thy feet, My passionate bird with the soft milk cries. Her arm round thy musk-rose body she slips, On thy face the grey sorrow of age is thrown; Her leering mouth brushes the dew from thy lips: My own! My own! My beautiful love with the dreaming eyes. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO --, WITH ARTHUR AND ALBINA by MATILDA BARBARA BETHAM-EDWARDS THE TROPHY GUNS by LEVI BISHOP THE SECOND ANTEMASQUE by ELIZABETH BRACKLEY CONNECTICUT ROAD SONG by ANNA HEMPSTEAD BRANCH CRIPPLED SOLDIER by ABBIE FARWELL BROWN THE BURIAL OF LOVE by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT RHODIAN SWALLOW-SONG by RHYS CARPENTER |