[Greek Text Which Cannot Be Reproduced] "A Woman For Whom Great Gods Might Strive!" I Said, And Kissed Her There: And Then I Thought Of The Other Five, And Of How Charms Outwear. I Thought Of The First With Her Eating Eyes, And I Thought Of The Second With Hers, Green-Gray, And I Thought Of The Third, Experienced, Wise, And I Thought Of The Fourth Who Sang All Day. And I Thought Of The Fifth, Whom I'd Called A Jade, And I Thought Of Them All, Tear-Fraught; And That Each Had Shown Her A Passable Maid, Yet Not Of The Favour Sought. So I Traced These Words On The Bark Of A Beech, Just At The Falling Of The Mast: "After Scanning Five; Yes, Each And Each, I've Found The Woman Desired At Last!" " I Feel A Strange Benumbing Spell, As One Ill-Wished!" Said She. And Soon It Seemed That Something Fell Was Starving Her Love For Me. "I Feel Some Curse. O, Five Were There?" And Wanly She Swerved, And Went Away. I Followed Sick: Night Numbed The Air, And Dark The Mournful Moorland Lay. I Cried: "O Darling, Turn Your Head!" But Never Her Face I Viewed; "O Turn, O Turn!" Again I Said, And Miserably Pursued. At Length I Came To A Christ-Cross Stone Which She Had Passed Without Discern; And I Knelt Upon The Leaves There Strown, And Prayed Aloud That She Might Turn. I Rose, And Looked; And Turn She Did; I Cried, "My Heart Revives!" "Look More," She Said. I Looked As Bid; Her Face Was All The Five'S. All The Five Women, Clear Come Back, I Saw In Her With Her Made One, The While She Drooped Upon The Track, And Her Frail Term Seemed Well-Nigh Run. She'd Half Forgot Me In Her Change; "Who Are You? Won't You Say Who You May Be, You Man So Strange, Following Since Yesterday?" I Took The Composite Form She Was, And Carried Her To An Arbour Small, Not Passion-Moved, But Even Because In One I Could Atone To All. And There She Lies, And There I Tend, Till My Life'S Threads Unwind, A Various Womanhood In Blend - Not One, But All Combined.
No favourite Poem yet! Login To View And Add to Favourites



