Wild honey from various thyme By Michael Field [i.e. K. H. Bradley and E. E. Cooper] |
ON AN ASPIC FOUND GLIDING TOWARD THE SEA |
IV. |
Wild honey from various thyme | ||
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ON AN ASPIC FOUND GLIDING TOWARD THE SEA
Who art thou, Aspic of the dazzled eyes,
And swaying as a drunkard from his drink?
Seaward thou glidest, in the sea to sink,
A sacred alien, a sacrifice.
And swaying as a drunkard from his drink?
Seaward thou glidest, in the sea to sink,
A sacred alien, a sacrifice.
Who hath devoted thee? What hast thou done?
That wound is as a jewel 'mid thy scales;
Thy forkèd tongue still tenderly assails.
As some amazing honour thou had'st won,
That wound is as a jewel 'mid thy scales;
Thy forkèd tongue still tenderly assails.
As some amazing honour thou had'st won,
As thou wert stricken by too vast a doom,
And to the gods must recommend thy plight,
Thou foamest through the sand. Back to a tomb
And to the gods must recommend thy plight,
Thou foamest through the sand. Back to a tomb
I follow thy fresh steps. Ah, there in sight
The golden spindle that devised thy wound,
And Cleopatra marvellously swooned!
The golden spindle that devised thy wound,
And Cleopatra marvellously swooned!
Wild honey from various thyme | ||