A Child of the People And Other Poems. By James Chapman Woods |
 |
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
|
ALCESTIS. |
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
 | A Child of the People |  |
86
ALCESTIS.
When Love the lily-handed fought with Death,
And through her scorn was strong to win,
How suffered he who watched the ebbing breath
In the dead-heavy night grow faint and thin,
Glazed eyes and sharpening chin!
And through her scorn was strong to win,
How suffered he who watched the ebbing breath
In the dead-heavy night grow faint and thin,
Glazed eyes and sharpening chin!
He saw not him, the lion-hided, leap
The last ravine that clove the plain.
He saw alone the leaden-lidded sleep
Mask her pale face, and marble out the pain,
And groaned for all his gain.
The last ravine that clove the plain.
He saw alone the leaden-lidded sleep
Mask her pale face, and marble out the pain,
And groaned for all his gain.
O soul, my soul, when Love is slain for thee,
And all the pleasant springs are dry,—
When thou hast probed life's torturing mystery,
The wisdom teaching thee how best to be
Will make thee glad to die!
And all the pleasant springs are dry,—
When thou hast probed life's torturing mystery,
The wisdom teaching thee how best to be
Will make thee glad to die!
But thee, alas! no great-heart Herakles
Will give again thy golden day.
For Love thou wilt have left Love's memories,
Like song-birds frozen in the storm-swept trees,
Life's music blown away.
Will give again thy golden day.
For Love thou wilt have left Love's memories,
Like song-birds frozen in the storm-swept trees,
Life's music blown away.
| A Child of the People | |