 | [Poems by Moody in] William Vaughn Moody : A Study by David Dodds Henry |  |
THE ANSWER
You will give me gems an island king
Hung in a hill-maid's hair
To pleasure him in the lacing light
Of red and blue on her brow's moon-white
While she danced before him half the night?
Hung in a hill-maid's hair
To pleasure him in the lacing light
Of red and blue on her brow's moon-white
While she danced before him half the night?
And silks so palpitant with sun
Of eastern afternoons
One clad therein might walk through halls
Where not one lamp-ray lights the walls
As through streets flush with festivals?
Of eastern afternoons
One clad therein might walk through halls
Where not one lamp-ray lights the walls
As through streets flush with festivals?
Nay! I've three roses for my hair:
And one was plucked at morn—
This bud with petals pure as snow
Save where a timid eager glow
Of blush pink stains the midmost row.
And one was plucked at morn—
This bud with petals pure as snow
Save where a timid eager glow
Of blush pink stains the midmost row.
And this great creamy half-blown one
Was plucked the self-same noon;
Seeing the closed leaves who would guess
The flame it feeds and cherishes,
Deep down, see, where my fingers press?
Was plucked the self-same noon;
Seeing the closed leaves who would guess
The flame it feeds and cherishes,
Deep down, see, where my fingers press?
And this red rose was plucked at night;
This blown rose, burning red,
Where every petal flaunts to view
The very precious inmost hue
And secret soul of the other two.
This blown rose, burning red,
Where every petal flaunts to view
The very precious inmost hue
And secret soul of the other two.
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Nay! Find some other woman's brow
To hang your jewels on;
Have I not roses for my hair?
I know your silks are strange and rare,
But—O, the robe God lets me wear!
To hang your jewels on;
Have I not roses for my hair?
I know your silks are strange and rare,
But—O, the robe God lets me wear!
| [Poems by Moody in] William Vaughn Moody : A Study by David Dodds Henry | |