Till the slow daylight pale, A willing slave, fast bound to one above, I wait; he seems to speed, and change, and fail; I know he will not move. I lift my golden orb To his, unsmitten when the roses die, And in my broad and burning disk absorb The splendours of his eye. His eye is like a clear Keen flame that searches through me; I must droop Upon my stalk, I cannot reach his sphere; To mine he cannot stoop. I win not my desire, And yet I fail not of my guerdon, lo! A thousand flickering darts and tongues of fire Around me spread and glow; All rayed and crowned, I miss No queenly state until the summer wane, The hours flit by; none knoweth of my bliss, And none has guessed my pain; I follow one above, I track the shadow of his steps, I grow Most like to him I love Of all that shines below. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE GENERAL PUBLIC by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET IMAGINARY ANCESTORS: THE GIRAFFE WOMAN OF BURMA by MADELINE DEFREES I LOOKED FOR LIFE AND DID A SHADOW SEE by JAMES GALVIN AT SAGAMORE HILL by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |