The Maiden caught me in the Wild, Where I was dancing merrily; She put me into her Cabinet And Lock'd me up with a golden Key. This Cabinet is form'd of Gold And Pearl & Crystal shining bright, And within it opens into a World And a little lovely Moony Night. Another England there I saw, Another London with its Tower, Another Thames & other Hills, And another pleasant Surrey Bower, Another Maiden like herself, Translucent, lovely, shining clear, Threefold each in the other clos'd -- O, what a pleasant trembling fear! O, what a smile! a threefold Smile Fill'd me, that like a flame I burn'd; I bent to Kiss the lovely Maid, And found a Threefold Kiss return'd. I strove to seize the inmost Form With ardor fierce & hands of flame, But burst the Crystal Cabinet, And like a Weeping Babe became -- A weeping Babe upon the wild, And Weeping Woman pale reclin'd, And in the outward air again I fill'd with woes the passing Wind. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...COVERING WINGS by KATHERINE MANSFIELD SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: MRS. KESSLER by EDGAR LEE MASTERS CONTRA MORTEM: THE FALL by HAYDEN CARRUTH LETTER TO MAXINE SULLIVAN by HAYDEN CARRUTH THE SACHEM OF THE CLOUDS (A THANKSGIVING LEGEND) by ROBERT FROST AFTER THE PAPAGO by JAMES GALVIN NOBODY'S LOOKIN' BUT DE OWL AND DE MOON (A NEGRO SERENADE) by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON |