 | The Poems of A. C. Benson |  |
186
THE ORCHID
My lustrous orchid, rather flesh than flower,
Some rich exotic beetle, gaudy fly,—
The rose outlives her life one rapturous hour,
The violets droop and die,
Some rich exotic beetle, gaudy fly,—
The rose outlives her life one rapturous hour,
The violets droop and die,
But thou dost swing with speckled flag unrolled,
With glossy belly, stiffened wings outspread,
Like some outlandish beauty, bought and sold
To please a princely head.
With glossy belly, stiffened wings outspread,
Like some outlandish beauty, bought and sold
To please a princely head.
I love thee not for all thy curious art,
Thy patient glories, thy imperious air;
Thou dost bewilder and amaze the heart,
Not bloom or nestle there.
Thy patient glories, thy imperious air;
Thou dost bewilder and amaze the heart,
Not bloom or nestle there.
Go hang in tropic glades, where painted birds
Flutter and scream from tower to tower of bloom;
Leave me the rose that whispers fragrant words
About my sunless room.
Flutter and scream from tower to tower of bloom;
Leave me the rose that whispers fragrant words
About my sunless room.
187
A tortured spirit in a feverish dream,
Spinning strange fancies to beguile his pain,
Surely conceived thee:—'twas the wandering gleam
Of some o'erweighted brain.
Spinning strange fancies to beguile his pain,
Surely conceived thee:—'twas the wandering gleam
Of some o'erweighted brain.
But love was his, and utter tenderness,
Who wrapped the rose in myriad petals sweet;—
Avaunt, perfection! Give me something less
Presumptuous, less complete!
Who wrapped the rose in myriad petals sweet;—
Avaunt, perfection! Give me something less
Presumptuous, less complete!
| The Poems of A. C. Benson | |