s: Must I suit the whole world and the world's father, too?


s: Yet it must end some time--so I'll see the thing through."


s: Both Father and Son now decided to walk,


s: While the Ass marched in front with a strut and a stalk;


s: Yet the people who passed them continued to talk.


s: Said one to another: "Look there, if you please,


s: How they wear out their shoes, while their Ass takes his ease.


s: Were there ever, d'ye think, three such asses as these?"


s: Said the Miller: "You're right. I'm an Ass! It is true.


s: Too long have I listened to people like you.


s: But now I am done with the whole kit and crew.


s: "Let them blame me or praise me, keep silent or yell,


s: My goings and comings they cannot compel.


s: I will do as I please!"...So he did--and did well.


s: To see little Jenny upon a white horse.]


s: There was an old woman and what do you think,


s: She lived upon nothing but victuals and drink.


s: Victuals and drink were the chief of her diet,


s: Yet the plaguey old woman could never be quiet.]


s: There was an old woman, and what do you think,


s: Yet the plaguey old woman could never be quiet.


s: The stars were shining and all things bright,


s: "Oh, ho!" said the fox, "it's a very fine night


s: The stars were shining and all things bright.


s: "Oh, ho!" said the Fox, "it's a very fine night


s: For me to go through the town, heigho!"]


s: There was an old woman tossed up in a basket,


s: And where she was going I couldn't but ask it,


s: Old Mother Hubbard she went to the cupboard,


s: When she came there the cupboard was bare,


s: In a far-off country there was once a little girl, who was called


s: Little Red Riding-Hood sets out to visit her Grandmother.]


s: When she came into the room, the Wolf, hiding himself under the


s: Riding-Hood, and ate her up at a few mouthfuls.


s: With Forty-eight Pages of Illustrations, Printed


s: lightly scrape off from top of cup or spoon until material is


s: put on table all the materials and tools needed in making that


s: _A Little Book for a Little Cook_ was originally published by


s: Pillsbury in 1905. This new reproduction has all of the recipes


s: from the original softcover edition, but is being reissued with


s: the modern reader in mind. The collector will note some small


s: departures from the original book, but the little cook will no


s: doubt find what is here to be fun to cook, delicious, and warmly


s: For best results, we recommend the following recipe changes


s: when preparing these old-fashioned recipes. When using


s: Pillsbury BEST® Flour, there is no need to sift the flour.


s: Just lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and


s: level it off. When combining the flour with other dry


s: ingredients, stir the ingredients together with a fork.


s: Bread: Soak 1 (.6 oz.) cake compressed yeast or 1 pkg.


s: active dry yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 2 tablespoons


s: lukewarm (105-110°F.) water for 2 minutes. Knead dough 5 to


s: double in size_. Grease, bottom only, 8×4 or 9×5-inch loaf


s: pan. Bake at 375°F. for 35 to 40 minutes or until light


s: Biscuits: Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 425°F.


s: Ginger Bread: Bake in a greased 13x9-inch pan at 350°F. for


s: Sponge Cake: Bake in a greased and floured 9-inch square or


s: Muffins: Bake in a greased 12-cup muffin pan at 400°F. for


s: Creamed Potatoes: If a double boiler is unavailable, cook in


s: a heavy saucepan over medium heat until mixture thickens,


s: Fudge: Cook in a small heavy saucepan; pour mixture into a


s: Chocolate Cake: Bake in a greased and floured 8-inch square


s: pan at 350°F. for 23 to 27 minutes or until toothpick


s: Johnny Cake: Bake in a greased 8-inch square pan at 400°F.


s: Soak yeast in 2 tablespoons cold water. Pour 1/2 cup boiling


s: water into 1/2 cup milk. _Let cool to lukewarm._ Stir in


s: dissolved yeast and salt. Add 3 cups Pillsbury's Best. Turn onto


s: a kneading board. Knead until smooth. Let rise until three times


s: the original size. Knead slightly, put into a well greased pan.


s: Let rise until double its bulk and bake 25 or 30 minutes in


s: moderate oven. It will be well to consult some experienced person


s: Sift flour, salt and baking powder twice. Chop butter in with a


s: knife until mealy. Add milk for a soft dough. Place on a board


s: with a little flour. Knead gently until smooth. Roll out to


s: one-half inch thickness. Use small cutter and place biscuits in


s: greased pan. Bake in a hot oven until nicely browned.


s: Put molasses in a bowl. Add sugar, melted butter, cinnamon and


s: ginger. Put soda and salt in a cup and fill with hot water. Stir


s: into first mixture. Add flour, then well beaten egg. Beat hard.


s: Bake for thirty minutes in a well greased pan. Watch oven


s: closely, as ginger bread burns easily. This makes a good sized


s: Cloves for his eyes and paste for his tie,--


s: Separate eggs, beating whites to a stiff froth. Set them aside.


s: Beat yolks until thick. Add sugar gradually, then water, salt,


s: flour and baking powder. Beat thoroughly. Fold in whites and add


s: vanilla. Bake twenty minutes in a buttered and floured shallow


s: Beat butter, sugar and egg until creamy. Add milk little at a


s: time, stirring in gradually flour sifted with salt and baking


s: powder. Grease muffin pan, heat slightly, put in mixture and bake


s: Pare potatoes, cut into dice, wash in cold water. Cover with


s: boiling water, salt and place on range. Boil until tender, but


s: not mealy. Have ready the cream dressing. This is made by rubbing


s: Melt butter in a granite pan. Add sugar, milk and molasses,


s: stirring gently until sugar is dissolved. Boil slowly without


s: stirring for five minutes. Add chocolate square and stir until


s: melted. Boil again until a little of mixture dropped in cold


s: water seems brittle. Take from range, add vanilla, beat until it


s: begins to thicken, then pour into a buttered pan. Cool and mark


s: Stir butter, egg and sugar until creamy. Add milk little at a


s: time, stirring in gradually flour, sifted with baking powder. Now


s: "This world is so full of a number of things,


s: I am sure we should all be as happy as kings."


s: Sift cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together. Add


s: The table around which the household gathers three times a day


s: furnishes the chief opportunity for showing the results of good


s: training, whether received in school or home. We show our


s: unselfishness in preferring one another, anticipating one


s: On the table is shown the result of the unselfish thought and


s: care of the chief home-maker. The labor connected with the


s: preparation of the meal is either a burden or a pleasure as one's


s: We get the best training for active life, in other than household


s: We like to do what we do well. If we learn early, we learn easily


s: Beginners should master the little recipes included in this book.


s: As it sat one night on the pantry shelf--


s: A loaf on each side of it--just like itself,


s: While grouped around stood the pies and cakes,


s: And one and all then and there confessed


s: That they owed their existence to Pillsbury's Best.


s: I seem to trace through the distant haze


s: I knew I was there that the world might eat--


s: I drank of the showers and the morning dew;


s: Just as fast as I could for Pillsbury's Best.


s: And when I had grown both tall and strong


s: And through the fields they wend their way,


s: Just to and fro through the livelong day.


s: Perhaps they were rude--for they cut me dead--


s: And turned on my back and laughed in glee


s: At the thought of the good, good flour I'd be.


s: I know I was good, yet the day came at last


s: When they said I'd be better if soundly thrashed.


s: Please pardon me here--I can't dwell on this much,


s: The subject is painful--my feelings are such.


s: Oh my! but the straw, it flew high in the air


s: And the chaff chaffed unceasing, but I didn't care,


s: My laughter rang forth with increased vim and zest,


s: My chastisement I knew--just meant Pillsbury's Best.


s: And then came the time when I journeyed away


s: To the mills where the "Roller Mills" roll all day,


s: And all of them smiled with a happy grin


s: And welcomed us poor little wheatlets in;


s: Oh! the grind of life--I was grasped and seized,


s: I really can't say I was very much pleased;


s: But to say the least, I was much impressed,


s: And when I got through I was Pillsbury's Best.


s: Please note the hang--both front and back,


s: That Pillsbury's flour o'er the world holds sway.


s: To the kitchen I go--to the bakers who bake


s: The bread and the cookies, the pies and the cake;


s: It was there that I met the package of yeast


s: Who raised the dough for the coming feast,


s: For to-morrow I know I'll be out of sight;


s: So I'll toast myself ere this tale I close,


s: To Pillsbury's Best, the flour one knows.


s: _This is the tale of the loaf on the shelf.


s: She wore her best sprigged muslin frock,


s: With that she laughed and ran downstairs,


s: Then when Jane played it caught her feet


s: "Quick," Gretel cries, "let's catch that hare


s: But she is stuck, and can't get through.


s: "Come, come, get up," cried nurse to George;


s: "Nurse, nurse," he cried, "where are my clothes?


s: "Why, no," said nurse, "you will not find


s: "Why," says mamma, "since that's the case,


s: In through the door he looked, and said,


s: And quick he whipped his jack-knife out;


s: Nor stretch herself, nor raise her head;


s: The beet juice tears have washed her clean;


s: And then he would steal the bread and cheese,


s: The wise old grey cat scratched her ear;


s: Quick, fetch me out what cheese you have,


s: "Spit-t-t!" with her claws and gleaming eyes


s: She makes her sweep, she makes her scrub;


s: "Just see this apron-girl," she cries;--


s: Who squeaks and stamps his foot with joy.


s: But while they rock their dolls and sing


s: "Where are you children dear," she cries.


s: Her arms are long, her hands are strong,


s: "Quick, wipe your eyes and come," he cries;


s: All filled with black out through the door


s: They stop, they stare, they quake with fear,


s: _And then I saw that I am the poet, surely a poet among many


s: a mere soldier of the verse, but always the poet who desires


s: to close within his verse the longings and questionings of the


s: universal man, and the cares and fanaticism of the citizen. I


s: may not be a worthy citizen; but it cannot be that I am the


s: poet of myself alone. I am the poet of my age and of my race.


s: And what I hold within me cannot be divided from the world


s: _Kostes Palamas ... is raised not only above other poets of


s: Modern Greece but above all the poets of contemporary Europe.


s: Though he is not the most known ... he is incontestably the


s: EUGÈNE CLEMENT, _Revue des Études Grecques_.


s: Three names among the "Hairy Ones" were the object of universal


s: Fortunately, the head of the Greek Church in Athens saved the


s: "Down with Palamas! the bought one! the traitor!"


s: Far glimmered the sea, and the harvest darkened the threshing


s: O white, ethereal Liakoura, waiting that from thy midst


s: Parnassus, the ancient, shine forth and the Nine Fair Sisters of


s: Thou standest still, O Liakoura, young and for ever one,


s: O thou Muse of a future Rhythm and a Beauty still to be born.


s: Where with its many ships the harbor moans,


s: The land spreads beaten by the billows wild,


s: Her ancient silkworks, carriers of wealth.


s: The vineyards, filled with fruit, now make her rich;


s: And on her brow, an aged crown she wears,


s: A castle that the strangers, Franks or Turks,


s: Thirst for, since Venice founded it with might.


s: O'er her a mountain stands, a sleepless watch;


s: And white like dawn, Parnassus shimmers far


s: Here I first opened to the day mine eyes;


s: And here my memory weaves a dream dream-born,


s: An image faint, half-vanished, fair--a mother.


s: Upon the lake, the island-studded, where


s: The breeze of May, grown strong with sea-brine, stirs


s: The seashore strewn with seaweed far away,


s: The Fates cast me a little child thrice orphan.


s: 'Tis there the northwind battles mightily


s: Upon the southwind; and the high tide on


s: The dazzling coral of the sun is sinking.


s: There stands Varassova, the triple-headed;


s: And from her heights, a lady from her tower,


s: The moon bends o'er the waters lying still.


s: But innocent peace, the peace that is a child's,


s: And, what is now a fire--the spirit's spark.


s: A witch beguiling, an enchantress strange;


s: But ours the Heart remains and binds both life


s: And love with the native soil, nor seems to die.


s: Peaks, depths, I sought Eurydice of old:


s: "What longing moans within me now, new-born?


s: Even in the winter's heart, the almonds are ablossom!


s: And lo, the angry month is gay with sunshine laughter,


s: While to this beauty round about a crown you weave,


s: O naked rocks and painted mountain slopes of Athens.


s: Even the snow on Parnes seems like fields in bloom;


s: A timid greenish glow caresses like a dream


s: The Heights of Corydallus; white Pentele smiles upon


s: The Sacred Rock of Pallas; and old Hymettus stoops


s: To listen to the love-song of Phaleron's sea.


s: All things of joy, all things of beauty;


s: So much of the natural atmosphere of Athens and Attica. But the


s: Testament, the students took up arms rather than argument.


s: I labored long to create the statue for the Temple


s: To set it up in nakedness, and then to pass;


s: And I created it. But narrow men who bow


s: To worship shapeless wooden images, ill clad,


s: With hostile glances and with shudderings of fear,


s: Looked down upon us, work and worker, angrily.


s: My statue in the rubbish thrown! And I, an exile!


s: To foreign lands I led my restless wanderings;


s: But ere I left, a sacrifice unheard I offered:


s: I dug a pit, and in the pit I laid my statue.


s: And then I whispered: "Here, lie low unseen and live


s: With things deep-rooted and among the ancient ruins


s: Until thine hour comes. Immortal flower thou art!


s: A Temple waits to clothe thy nakedness divine!"


s: And with a mouth thrice-wide, and with the voice of prophets,


s: The pit spoke: "Temple, none! Nor pedestal! Nor light!


s: In vain! For nowhere is thy flower fit, O maker!


s: Better for ever lost in these unlighted depths.


s: "Its hour may never come! And if it come, and if


s: Thy work be raised, the Temple will be radiant


s: With a great host of statues, statues of no blemish,


s: And works of thrice-great makers unapproachable.


s: "To-day was soon for thee; to-morrow will be late.


s: Thy dream is vain; the dawn thou longest will not dawn;


s: Thus, burning for eternities thou mayest not reach,


s: Remain, Cloud-Hunter and Praxiteles of shadows!


s: "To-morrow and to-day for thee are snares and seas.


s: All are but traps for drowning thee and visions false.


s: Longer than thy glory is the violet's in thy garden!


s: And thou shalt pass away; hear this, and thou shalt die!"


s: And then I answered: "Let me pass away and die!


s: Creator am I, too, with all my heart and mind;


s: Let pits devour my work. Of all eternal things,


s: My restless wandering may have the greatest worth."


s: Something that lives while ruins choke it.


s: Something like moans, like humming bees,


s: Thou hast awaked; but who will tend thee?


s: The lazy drones! The frogs! The locusts!


s: Their learning from the thoughtless journals!


s: But forward still thy steps thou leadest,


s: Though thou rainest not the godsent manna,


s: Though free, chain-bound your life must be;


s: For you: Kneel down! For lo, I bring them!


s: Bind with these chains your golden youth;


s: And you shall call them Truth and Beauty,


s: The world's great laws, and men, and nations.


s: Bad? Would that thou wert bad; but something worse thou art:


s: Thou stretchedst an unworthy hand to the sacred lyre,


s: And the untaught mob took thy reeling in the dust


s: For the true song of golden wings; and thou didst take


s: Thy seat close by the poet's side so thoughtlessly,


s: And none dared rise and come to drag thee thence away.


s: And see, instead of scorning thee, the just was angry;


s: Yet, even his verse's arrow is for thee a glory!


s: tradition and experience behind it does not attract him:


s: Others, who wander far in distant lands may seek


s: On Alpine Mountains high the magic Edelweis;


s: April delights me in my garden, and the May


s: O lakes and fiords, O palaces of France and shrines


s: And harbors, Northern Lights and tropic flowers and forests,


s: O wonders of art, and beauties of the world unthought,--


s: A little Island here I love that always lies before me.


s: ... Awake! Thou art not maker of statues!


s: A Soul of Dream, to the shadows of Night.


s: For suddenly there is a clash and groaning!


s: Something great and something beautiful,


s: Glory has come! On her wings and on her feet,


s: And she brings aloes blossoming, first-seen,


s: From the land that feeds the Kaffir's flocks.


s: The Atlantic Dragon groans a groan first-heard;


s: To the foam-shaped breast of the White Sea,


s: You know them, heights, winds, horizons,


s: High tides and murmurings of restless waters,


s: O heartless tamer of continents and races,


s: Wilderness_, form his noblest patriotic expression. The present


s: Deer-like the East pants terror-struck! The West,


s: A flame ablaze that leaps amid the skies!


s: Nations are wolves! and Hatreds are afoot,


s: With force gigantic, lo, the bursting forth


s: Of the barbarian sweeps on, age-wrought;


s: Oceans are cleft and swallow Gorgon-ships,


s: What sorcerers, in Earth's deep bosom buried,


s: Beat into shape the metal? For what kings


s: Slave they? What crowns forge they? The tower-ships,


s: Lovingly the dream born of dream flies high


s: Startle sun's radiance ... And ye, the Rhine's


s: Water-born Nymphs, are lashed and swept away


s: Makes men and elements before him kneel.


s: Europe, a viper! And the armies, dragons!


s: From endless sweeps of steppes, the Slav blows forth


s: An endless squall, the havoc's ruthless vow!


s: All, small and great, forward to battle rush


s: Beating thy breast, thou clingest to thy throne,


s: Storm-wrapped, O worshipper of gods that fade,


s: Hypatia thou, the Frenchman's ruling queen,


s: The Vosgic towers tremble! And God's wrath,


s: Valkyrie, the awful Nymph, wind-ridden sweeps,


s: A shadow's dream, Messiah of sweet Peace!


s: With yellow Mongols are afoot! With them,


s: Our brother Serb, a wall!--Let Austria's


s: Vosges and Carpathians and Balkans quake!


s: Ridges and mountains tremble! The oceans roar!


s: Five Continents' passionate wraths and hatreds


s: But lo, the Briton with sea-battling sceptre


s: That binds the restless waves to his command--


s: And there the Turk, who holds thee with dog's teeth


s: And makes of thee a valley of sad tears,


s: Beside her Cretan helmsman and her king!


s: Wax-pale, the world stands listening and holds


s: But lo, the thinker, whatever is his soul,


s: Watches from his unruffled haunts calm-wrapped


s: With pity's quivering and terror's chill,


s: In tears and ruins, he plucks a fruitful joy


s: From the great Drama, watching thoughtfully


s: And lo, the thinker, whatever is his soul,


s: Abides in his unruffled haunts calm-wrapped


s: Old age? No! Nor the youth of a new life.


s: All is the same, Europe and Law, the shark!


s: And never changes--hear ye not?--the march


s: A splinter in the powerful's hands, O powerless,


s: Yet sometimes--comfort thee--his mate and friend!


s: The powerful's blind hand even thou, O Science,


s: How can the creature grow from monster seed?


s: Even if some great dream be born of flesh


s: And the wroth tempest fling a new world forth,


s: Still always thou wilt burn, O Fury's torch,


s: Even if thou wilt come to states in ruins


s: And empty thrones, O power of juster race,


s: Always the tender and the harsh shall be;


s: Unless, O man, something is destined thee


s: Of blessed dreams, sown in his heart, takes roots;


s: And neither the war's roaring gun nor yet


s: Can make the flower fade that fills my breast


s: I am the faithful friend of song; therefore,


s: I tremble not like child before a blackman;


s: Midst blood and flames and lashings horrible,


s: Thy footprints mark a shining trail of lights


s: New-risen, guiding with their gleams my steps;


s: The restless gambol of thy fire, Dawn's smile


s: Thine eyes, O Fountainhead of Beauty's stream,


s: Mirror within them all things beautiful:


s: And lo, the eagles of the Czars, on wings


s: The war, when thine eyes look on it, becomes


s: Where Tolstoi lived, all things are justly blessed;


s: Where Goethe dwelt all things are light and wisdom;


s: And yet my heart's pure love flows now for thee,


s: Though first I sucked my god-sprung mother's milk,


s: Desert-born, joy of mine and guide and teacher,


s: On thy world-trodden earth, I have not stood;


s: Nor didst thou bathe me, Seine, in thy cold waters;


s: Dante and Nietzsche, Ibsen, Shakespeare, all,


s: Poured wine for me with their thrice-holy hands


s: A child: And thou didst flash before me first,


s: Tearing the maps of dazzled Europe's lands


s: With the world's Mirabeaus and with the world's


s: Thou art not for the gnawing worm of graves.


s: _In Palamas, we have found every trait of the Greek character:


s: He is religious and superstitious; a skeptic, a pagan, and a


s: pantheist.... He is a poet and a philosopher.... He abandons


s: himself to every impulse of the Greek soul. But he is always


s: fond of drawing back, of concentrating, of trying to encompass


s: in a general form the sensations and ideas which sway him. His


s: principal and latent care is to analyze himself and his world.


s: A poet and a thinker, Palamas does not attract the multitudes....


s: through his work Greece of today is most clearly set forth._


s: TIGRANE YERGATE, "Le Mouvement litteraire grec; La Poesie."


s: And where the heavens mingle with the sea,


s: Fatherlands! Air and earth and fire and water,


s: And end of life, first joy and last of mine,


s: To the grave's calm. The people of the dreams


s: Within me, airlike, unto air shall pass;


s: My passions' craze unto the billows' madness.


s: And I shall be again air, earth, fire, water;


s: And from the air of dreams, and from the flame


s: Of thought, and from the flesh that shall be dust,


s: And from the passions' sea, ever shall rise


s: A breath of sound like a soft lyre's complaint.


s: Which, though it rises over time and space,


s: Turns the world's ears to his native land,


s: And lo, blood of my blood the madman was!


s: That bursting forth upon me, vampire-like,


s: Snatched from my hand the dewy crown of joy!


s: gleaming beauty and of bitter sorrow. There is always before us a


s: From great Olympus, like the mingling sounds


s: Of David's harp and Pindar's lyre, conversing


s: In the star-spangled darkness of the night.


s: Struggles to peep through its stone-veil!


s: With sounds that like sweet longings wake in him


s: Of women's beauties and of home-born shadows ...


s: The flames that burn within the heart, the kisses


s: That the waves squander on the sandy beach,


s: And the sweet birds that sing on children's lips!


s: With leafy slopes and forests glistening.


s: Children that make the grassy beds a heaven


s: And rise like miracles among the flowers.


s: The thoughtful sage high-rising smites the gates


s: Of the Infinite and questions every Sphinx;


s: Yet who knows if the soldier with no will,


s: O struggle vast! Who knows what power measures


s: Is it the matchless thought of the endowed,


s: Or the dim soul of the multitude that bursts,


s: Thoughtless of reason, into life? Who knows?


s: Though small we are, a great world hides in us;


s: And in us clouds of care and dales of grief


s: At evenings; tears that roll not down the cheeks;


s: What prison's kin are we? Who would believe it?


s: One, damned and godlike, dwells in us; and she is Thought!


s: That might retain the phantom of our passing!


s: Adorn thee with a new and deathless gleam:


s: And it shall be our thought, and word, and rime!


s: Thou wilt appear like a gold-green new star;


s: Yet neither thou nor others will know of us!


s: _And now the columns stand a forest speechless


s: And motionless; and among them, the rhythms


s: And thoughts move in slow measures constantly;


s: And in their depths, light-written images


s: Show Love that leads and Soul that follows him._


s: _I labored long to create the statue for the Temple


s: And set it up in nakedness; and then to pass;


s: And I created it. But narrow men who bow


s: To worship shapeless wooden images, ill-clad,


s: With hostile glances and with shudderings of fear,


s: Looked down upon us, work and worker, angrily.


s: My statue in the rubbish thrown! And I, an exile!


s: To foreign lands, I led my restless wanderings.


s: But ere I left, a sacrifice unheard I offered:


s: I dug a pit; and in the pit I laid my statue.


s: And then I whispered: "Here lie low unseen and live


s: With things deep-rooted and among the ancient ruins


s: Until thine hour comes. Immortal flower thou art!


s: A Temple waits to clothe thy nakedness divine!"


s: And with a mouth thrice-wide, and with the voice of prophets,


s: The pit spoke: "Temple, none! Nor pedestal! Nor light!


s: In vain! For nowhere is thy flower fit, O Maker!


s: Better forever lost in the unlighted depths!


s: "Its hour may never come! and if it come, and if


s: Thy work be raised, the Temple will be radiant


s: With a great host of statues, statues of no blemish,


s: And works of thrice-great makers unapproachable!


s: "Today, was soon for thee; tomorrow will be late!


s: Thy dream is vain! The dawn thou longest will not dawn;


s: Thus burning for eternities thou mayest not reach,


s: Remain cloud-hunter and Praxiteles of shadows!


s: "Tomorrow and today for thee are snares and seas!


s: All are but traps for drowning thee and visions false!


s: Longer than thy glory is the violet's in thy garden!


s: And thou shalt pass away--hear this!--and thou shalt die!"


s: And then I answered: "Let me pass away and die!


s: Creator am I, too, with all my heart and mind!


s: Let pits devour my work! Of all eternal things,


s: My restless wandering may have the greatest worth!"_


s: Where with its many ships the harbor moans,


s: The land spreads beaten by the billows wild,


s: Her ancient silkworks, carriers of wealth.


s: The vineyards, filled with fruit, now make her rich;


s: And on her brow, an aged crown she wears,


s: A castle that the strangers, Franks or Turks,


s: Thirst for, since Venice founded it with might.


s: O'er her a mountain stands, a sleepless watch;


s: And white like dawn, Parnassus shimmers far


s: Here I first opened to the day mine eyes;


s: And here my memory weaves a dream dream-born,


s: An image faint, half-vanished, fair--a mother.


s: Upon the lake, the island-studded, where


s: The breeze of May, grown strong with sea-brine, stirs


s: The seashore strewn with seaweed far away,


s: The Fates cast me a little child thrice orphan.


s: 'Tis there the northwind battles mightily


s: Upon the southwind; and the high tide on


s: The dazzling coral of the sun is sinking.


s: There stands Varassova, the triple-headed;


s: And from her heights, a lady from her tower,


s: The moon bends o'er the waters lying still.


s: But innocent peace, the peace that is a child's,


s: And, what is now a fire, the spirit's spark.


s: Sky everywhere; and sunbeams on all sides;


s: Something about like honey from Hymettus;


s: The digging pick on Beauty stumbles still;


s: Cybele's womb bears gods instead of mortals;


s: And Athens bleeds with violet blood abundant


s: Each time the Afternoon's arrows pour on her.


s: The sacred olive keeps its shrines and fields;


s: And in the midst of crowds that slowly move


s: The people of the relics lives and reigns


s: Myriad-souled; and in the dust, the spirit


s: Glitters; I feel it battling in me with Darkness.


s: Still live, and with a kiss meet East and West;


s: Where with the olive tree the cypress blooms,


s: E'en there my soul has longed to dwell in peace


s: With towering visions of the land of Pyrrhus;


s: There dream-born beauties pour their flood, Dawn's mother


s: In the new voice of Greece are echoed there;


s: Breathes rose-born fragrance; and master of the lyre,


s: The glories of the Fatherland and Crete.


s: Lo, dreams strange-born among my dreams are mingling;


s: The Goddess spreads with ever hidden face


s: As if from graves, from laughless depths, before me


s: Life brightly glitters with her gentle smile;


s: A Libyan thirst burns in my heart; and Ra,


s: Something sow-like before me gnashed its teeth,


s: The slavish soul and savage of the Arab;


s: World-nourishing the Nile rolled on its waters;


s: And lotus-crowned, in the cool shade of palms,


s: I loved as beasts that dwell in wilderness


s: A Fellah lass full-breasted and sphinx-faced.


s: I burn in Satan's fire and pine in hell;


s: My soul is ruins and woe; and in a stream


s: Deep-flowing, I sink, a traveller beguiled.


s: The blue Aegean spreads a sapphire treasure;


s: Like Daphnis and his Chloe stand sky and earth;


s: Quivering, lo, the seed of life blooms forth;


s: In swarms, the living beings suck the sap


s: Of land, lake-like Cassandra, Thrace's shores


s: Are clad in wedding garb; and I? "O Lord,


s: Be my Redeemer!" and with floods of tears


s: I bathe the god-child Panselenus wrought.


s: And Thessaly spreads far her golden charms.


s: Hidden beneath her present waves of woe,


s: Methinks I look on Hellas, Queen of lands.


s: For still the ancient fir of valor blooms;


s: And from the pangs and sighs of ages risen,


s: The breath of Digenes fills all the land


s: Breeding a race of heroes strong and new;


s: And in the depths of green and golden Night


s: From Thunder Mountain's End to Chalcedon,


s: And now with sword barbarian, thou sweepest;


s: The sacred Rock gleams like a topaz here;


s: And virgins basket-bearing, clad in white,


s: March in a dance and shake Athena's veil;


s: But far the sapphires shine of Bosporus;


s: And through the Golden Gate exulting pass


s: Rolls on; in my soul's depths loom many lands:


s: And others five-minded and bold like Europe's realms;


s: Despair like Africa's black earth holds me;


s: All monstrous things of life, the fields aflame


s: The shrouds of the poles; and on a thousand paths,


s: I saw the world unfurled before my eyes.


s: Scorned even by the passing reaper's scythe.


s: And on the Lotus Eaters' shores, I drank


s: In the sun-flooded land, I stood by him,


s: One night--in strange and peerless radiance--


s: O Soul, light flowing from her fingers' touch;


s: My eyes beheld Atlantis Isle, that seemed


s: An Ocean flower beyond a mortal's dreams;


s: These things are rhythm to me and verse and song.


s: Sky-racers numberless, whole worlds of giants


s: And beasts: Ocean of suns, the Milky Way,


s: Orion, and the monsters of the spheres--


s: The Lyre plays; and trophy-like, the Lock


s: Of Berenice gleams; and rhythms and laws


s: Fade in the space of mysteries. Sun, Cronus,


s: Mars, Earth, and Venus sweep in swift pursuit


s: Towards the world magnet of great Hercules.


s: Immovable, yet filled with dreamful longings;


s: And knows not whence it comes nor where it goes.


s: Fatherlands! Air and earth and fire and water!


s: And end of life, first joy and last of mine!


s: To the graves' calm. The people of the dreams


s: Within me, airlike, unto air shall pass;


s: My reason, fire-like, unto lasting fire;


s: My passions' craze unto the billows' madness;


s: And I shall be again air, earth, fire, water;


s: And from the air of dreams, and from the flames


s: Of thought, and from the flesh that shall be dust,


s: And from the passions' sea, ever shall rise


s: A breath of sound like a soft lyre's complaint.


s: Red-plumed birds; and then I closed them


s: With chariot drawn by star-plumed peacocks, lo,


s: The goddess of desires before her people


s: Is revealed! She passes on, youth's joyful shout


s: And torture, dragging my eighteen years behind.


s: Snowflakes became a world; and, taking life


s: As substance, made her body and her thought.


s: Upon her royal brow, birds strange and wild,


s: Scorn's breed, have built their nest and there abide.


s: Upon her path, in vain I build the palace


s: Of virgin dreams with virgin gold for her,


s: Raising a throne of diamonds in its midst.


s: And as if filled with golden dreams divine,


s: To you, who dawned before me, offspring of


s: The great abyss and flower of foaming billows!


s: To you, whom with their love all things embrace,


s: And who stir tempests in a statue's depths!


s: Fruit, frankincense, I offer recklessly!


s: My songs' pure foam, songs that your vision fills!


s: Before I saw you in the world's great night,


s: You shone upon my mother's lighted face.


s: Your name I knew not, and in love's sweet font


s: Just as dry summers pant for the first rain,


s: And for a life remote, like hermit's prayer,


s: That ever onward sails with birds and sea-things,


s: Filling its life with our great planet's light.


s: But unto thee both ship and home said: "No!


s: That never moves, nor for the life that ever finds


s: For thee! Drag in the market place thy body's


s: Nakedness, strange to the strangers and thine own!"


s: Some people love things modest and things small,


s: They deck themselves with garden violets


s: And drink the singing waters of the brooks.


s: Others delight in tales told by the embers


s: Of the home hearth or listen to the songs


s: Of the nightbirds with rapture; others, slaves


s: Of a great pain, burn incense to the stars


s: Of beauty. And some thirst for the forest shades


s: And for a nacreous dawn, and for a sunset


s: Dipped in red blood, a barren wilderness


s: Light-burned. But thee no love with nature binds;


s: And where the heavens mingle with the sea,


s: A path thou seekest for a sphere beyond.


s: With wings and hands ethereal, rhythms and thoughts


s: Lifted thy soul, redeemed from its dust frame,


s: And led it straightway to the stars; and there


s: The sacred escort halts and ends its journey.


s: Where on the Lyre's star the bards and makers,


s: Like doves with breath immortal, dwell in gleams,


s: The shade of Solomos like magnet draws thee,


s: Thus speaks to thee: "Here is thy glory! Here


s: Dwell and behold the giant pair that stand


s: Before thee never setting, with diamonds dark;


s: And like a breath of worship pass, embracing


s: Thy Homer and thy Shakespeare, blessed One!"


s: Of idyls rang from the same gladsome flute,


s: April's sweet-breathing air is mingled now


s: With martial sounds of savage trumpetings.


s: Is it life's laurels or the martyr's thorns?


s: Oh see beyond: the wild vine's flowers now


s: Are shaken on a lake of blood and tears!


s: Has the war phantom blown upon thee too?


s: Or hast thou with the force of lightning winds


s: Flown where for ages sacred hatreds burn


s: In flames? Or has an evil wound thrown thee


s: Upon the earth where now in vain the god


s: Of idyls tries to raise thee with his kisses?


s: Seized with my hand the spear and spoke:


s: Who slew the beast and make him deathless.


s: A gravestone. Some great blow moves her:


s: Whither so light of garb and swift of foot, O Huntress?


s: Is it the sacred gifts of pure Hippolytus


s: That make thee leave Arcadia's forest land behind,


s: O shelter of the pure, and slayer of the wild?


s: Wild lily of virginity raised on the fields


s: Olympian, O mountain Queen of gleaming bow,


s: I envy him who in a careless hour did face


s: Thy beauty's lightning with thy heartless vengefulness.


s: And yet white like the morn, thou openest in secret


s: Thy lips thrice fragrant with divine ambrosia


s: And sayest: "Latona's deathless grace has moulded me


s: But now once more upon the noble stone, the new


s: Maker has moulded me with a new deathlessness."


s: O first-born pride and joy of my own home,


s: I still remember thy coming's sacred day:


s: The early dawn was breaking as from pearls,


s: Whitening the sky that spread star-spangled still;


s: Thou wert not like the fresh and budding rose


s: In its green mother's clasp before it opens;


s: And feeble cast by a rude hand among us.


s: And as if thou wert seeking help, thy wail


s: Rose sadder than the sound of a death knell;


s: And thus the last of thy own mother's groans


s: Was mingled with thy first lament. Life's great


s: Within me Fear's and Pity's mystic wail!


s: And yet thy country's love enflames thee,


s: Thy verse, the vase; thy mind, the flower.


s: Upon Crete's Isle, the blue sea's crown,


s: All watchful glides, assails, and grasps


s: Crumbled, what only its hands can make--


s: _To die for these, my brothers, and myself;


s: I found the best of finds, a glorious death._


s: On Athens' earth, Zeus of the Market place


s: On his pure altar, strange, forlorn, thrice-orphan.


s: Fearful the Argive sweeps on; duty's hand


s: Is weak. The king of Athens pities them,


s: "Lo, from thy blood, thrice-noble virgin, shall


s: The conquerless new enemy be conquered."


s: None stirs, alas! Orphanhood is forsaken


s: By all. Then, filled with pride of heroes, thou,


s: Daughter thrice-worthy of the great Alcides,


s: Plungest into thy breast the victim's sword


s: From cups that are both ours and strange,


s: The strong and simple, thou hast brought


s: Cyprus's shores have not beheld thee born of foam;


s: A foreign Vulcan forged thee on a diamond anvil


s: With a gold hammer; and the bard who touches thee,


s: Bound with thy magic beauty's charms, remains thy thrall.


s: The yearning prayers of a lover fondly loved


s: Cannot accomplish what thou canst, strange nightingale!


s: Thy song wafts me upon the tranquil fields of calm


s: When jackals born of woeful cares within me howl.


s: Thy might gives even sin a garment beautiful;


s: And thought divine before thee bows in reverence.


s: Imagination's ship sails with thy help straight on


s: Where Solomon and Croesus have their treasuries.


s: To thee I pray! Answer my greeting lovingly,


s: Thou new tenth Muse among the nine of old, O Rime!


s: _Mother thrice reverend, O widowed saint,


s: Upon thy shattered throne I come to place


s: The crowns of Art, dream-made and dream-engraved.


s: With war storms desolate, my native land,


s: Trod by the Turk and by strangers scorned thou wert;


s: In dark Oblivion's Dale had touched his lips,


s: Left thee; and thou didst writhe like a whole world


s: Engulfed in sounds of woe: Hair-tearings and


s: Breast-beatings, groans of sad despair, night-bats


s: Of souls condemned, loud thunder peals, fierce glares


s: Of lightnings, and the laughter of the fiends!


s: Far from the panic-stricken market place,


s: Beneath the plane trees' shade, and far away


s: By the blood-tinctured settings of the suns,


s: And deep I dug in distant treasure mines.


s: And with my hand, that knows no rifle's touch,


s: And if thou findest nowhere on their gleam


s: Thine image painted, or thy blessed name


s: Written, thou knowest still, O motherland,


s: Though in thy woe's abyss they seem unlike,


s: And though a strange and careless glimmer shines


s: For thee I made them; and for thee I raised them.


s: Perhaps, when in the midst of wilderness


s: And ruins thou first openest thine eyes,


s: Will not appear like thy wrath's threats, nor like


s: Nor like an image of thy passion's cross,


s: Nor like thy sorrow's dirge, nor like glad hymns;


s: But like soft songs and trembling lights and fondlings


s: Of lily hands, black birds, and stars unknown.


s: Thus when, smitten with Charon's knife and sunk


s: In death's dark swoon, a hapless mother feels


s: Life's tide return, she hears again, like first


s: Life-summons, the anxious voice of her fond child,


s: Tells of a thousand tales of love his fancy


s: Weaves or his memory recalls, and drowns


s: His faintest sigh not to remind his mother


s: Mother thrice-reverend, O widowed saint,


s: Upon thy shattered throne I come to place


s: The crowns of Art dream-made and dream-engraved.


s: Though they will echo not thy sorrow's groans,


s: A child of thine has bound them on thine earth


s: With gold; upon their circles thine own speech


s: Is shown with master tongue; their light is drawn


s: From thy sun's gleaming fountain; seek no more!


s: Which, though it rises over time and space,


s: Turns the world's ears to his native land,


s: My knees, bent on thy marble pavement, bleed,


s: Methinks I see among thy sculptured columns,


s: Among thy secret treasures and thine altars,


s: And takes up the wayfarer's knotty staff.


s: The dreadful mystic key, nor have I touched


s: That leads to Life's deep-hidden mysteries.


s: Of sinful multitudes, I come to worship.


s: My knees, bent on thy marble pavement, bleed;


s: I feel the chill of night or of the tomb


s: But lo, I struggle to shake off the evil


s: That creeps on me so cold; with longing heart,


s: I drag my bleeding knees beyond thy walls,


s: Out of thy columns--forests stifling me--


s: Into the sunlight and the moon's soft glimmer.


s: Away with prayer's burning frankincense!


s: Away with the gold knife of the sacrifice!


s: Away with choirs loud-voiced and clad in white,


s: Singing their hymns about the flaming altars!


s: To the small hut of the first bloom of time.


s: O humble hut of the first bloom of time,


s: Nor the most tranquil soul of the great plain,


s: Nor the gold cloud of dust on the wide road,


s: Nor the brook's course that sings like nightingales,


s: Nothing of these is either shown to thee


s: Or speaks before thy bare and flowerless window,


s: O humble hut of the first bloom of time.


s: From the rough pavement built in Turkish times;


s: The black wall's shadow, on the narrow street;


s: And on the lonely ruins lightning-struck


s: Beneath the bare and flowerless window's sill,


s: A nest of greenish black, like a small heart,


s: Hangs tenantless and waits and waits and waits


s: In vain for the return of the first swallow


s: That has gone forth, its first and last of dwellers.


s: On the nest's orphanhood of greenish black!


s: O ears filled with the terror of the tune


s: That travels to the bare and flowerless window


s: High from thy roof moss-covered with neglect,


s: O humble hut of the first bloom of time!


s: It is the tune the lone-owl always plays


s: Its lingering shrill notes of mournful measure,


s: _The ring is lost! The wedding ring is gone!_


s: My mother planned a wedding feast for me


s: My mother wished to wed me with thy charms,


s: And powerful witch, and gold from forty brides


s: Whose wedding crowns are fresh upon their brows;


s: And making with the gold a ring enchanted,


s: With golden bond my youthful human flesh


s: To the strange Fairy--how strange a wedding ring!--


s: Bethrothed who, lured by longing, countenance


s: Their wedding moment as an endless feast


s: Gold-bound with Life, the Fairy conqueress;


s: With love and thirst unquenchable for Life;


s: Whose brow like an Olympian victor's shone


s: And like the man's who tamed Bucephalus.


s: I was the nimble dolphin with gold wings,


s: But then, one day,--I know not whence and how--


s: Upon a shore of sunburned sands, the hour


s: Of early evening saddened with dark clouds,


s: I wrestled with a strange black boy new-come,


s: Risen to life from the great sea's abyss;


s: And in the savage spite of that long struggle,


s: The ring fell from my finger and was gone!


s: Did the great earth engulf it? Did the wave


s: Swallow it? I know not. But this I know:


s: For ever since, the binding spell is rent!


s: My own bethrothed, that was my slave and queen,


s: Vanished away like a fleet cloud of smoke!


s: And ever since, from my first-blooming youth


s: To the first flakes of silver that now fall


s: On the black forest of my hair, since then,


s: And now I am Life's widowed mate and hapless,


s: Life's great and careless patient! Woe is me!


s: Daughter of the ancient king, who changed her form


s: And as a sign of the gods' vengeful wrath


s: A festival thrice-fragrant with blond flowers!


s: With the sweet sunrise sweetly wakening,


s: Masses of flowers blond and fresh with dew,


s: And then to squander all my flower treasure


s: At my love's feet, for my heart's ruling queen.


s: But the gold-spangled meadow spreads too deep;


s: And, just as mourning for some dead deprives


s: An end, beset with brambles and with marshes!


s: The thorny plants tear like an enemy's claws;


s: And like bird-lime the bad plain's mire ensnares


s: My feet among the brambles and the marshes,


s: Where, in the parching sun's enflaming shafts,


s: The brine, like silver lightning, strikes my eyes!


s: Where is the coolness of a breath? Where is


s: I faint! My frame is bent! My way is lost!


s: My lips; the sultriness of the south wind


s: My breast; and the hard fate and impotence


s: That golden grasses on the meadow weave,


s: The festival thrice-fragrant with blond flowers,


s: Sees me, and calls me still, and waits for me!


s: Spreads her soft silver nets that dreams have wrought,


s: The hut is caught, and, by the net bewitched,


s: And then, unseen by the Day's Sun, the father


s: Of Health, the rosy-cheeked, who always sees


s: All things with careless and short-sighted eyes,


s: A monstrous vision lo, the Fairy Illness,


s: Stripped in the silver glimmer of the moon,


s: Herself of moonlight born, looms into sight


s: In whitening shimmers, she, like sea at night,


s: Death's pallor is her own, though not Death's chill;


s: The uncouth flowers on her dragging veil


s: Seem, like the poppies, crimson red and black;


s: And still more uncouth look the countless things


s: Wrought on its folds: dragons and ogresses,


s: Fevers and lethargies and pains of heart,


s: Nightmares and storms and earthquakes, breaking  nerves.


s: A language made of odd, discordant rhythms.


s: To nothing, either hers or strange, her eyes


s: Are like; deep, as abyss untrod, they yawn,


s: On empty space. Yet shouldst thou stoop with thirst


s: To mirror on her staring eyes thine own,


s: Then wouldst thou see worlds buried in their caves,


s: Sunk in the fairy-spangled oceans' depths!


s: Out in the open light, the Sun is shining,


s: Father of Health, Health rosy cheeked, whose breasts


s: Are full, and yield their milk abundantly;


s: She only sees those things of flesh about


s: Which her divine sun-father shows to her;


s: Are matched with careless and short-sighted eyes.


s: The Sibyl, clothed in white, appears, with glance


s: Lyncean, piercing deep and bringing forth


s: From the world's ends great hosts of monstrous things,


s: The monsters born of shadows and of dreams.


s: When in my breast I felt my first-born love,


s: I was possessed with the strange fear that filled


s: The youthful princess of the ancient tale


s: At sight of the black man's enchanted rod.


s: Blossom, too soon thou fleddest far from me


s: My speech, and evil demons seized my all;


s: Yet soul and body, my whole being shivers


s: Is for the faithful's prayer to his prophet.


s: Of a black sinner! O king Love, chased like


s: A madman chased my early childhood years


s: Thrice-sweet and blossoming, and seizing them--


s: Alas!--he crushed them in his reckless fury


s: Like twigs of purple-colored pomegranate!


s: On narrow streets, and paths, and pathless haunts,


s: Chills all away from the pure light and air.


s: The madman's cursed hands hold everything


s: With snares and claws and stones and knives; they fall


s: Or day, on sleep or wake, and everywhere!


s: And yonder on the streets and in the houses,


s: Children like me in age, whose years were filled


s: With bloom and sweetness, freely ran and laughed


s: And played. Behind me, close, the madman's snares


s: I heard; and then, the deadened sound of feet!


s: I breathed his flaming breath! And if his steps


s: Were slow, still wilder did his laughter hunt me!


s: Oh, for my life's cold quiverings of pain!


s: Oh, for the goading--not like the divine


s: But like the sudden goading that smites down


s: The little bird when first it tries its wings!


s: And lo, blood of my blood the madman was!


s: That, bursting forth upon me vampire-like,


s: Snatched from my head the dewy crown of joy!


s: Rare birds sing forth uncommon melodies;


s: And in our home-yard a young offshoot grows,


s: And in the garden of our home, full thick,


s: The ironworts and snakeroots blossom on;


s: The visage of the world thrice-wonderful!


s: The silence of our home is full of moans,


s: Moans vague and muffled from a distant world


s: And in our home souls come to life and die.


s: Blossom from blossom blossoms forth and fades!


s: Old men have the white, rich, Levitic beard,


s: The foreheads wide of solemn contemplation,


s: The wrath of prophets, and the fleeting calm


s: And chilling threatfulness of the gray shadows.


s: Glowing with love-heat like resistless Satyrs,


s: The young men in the mind's most shady glades


s: Hunt ardently the bride that is pure thought.


s: The children drop their playthings carelessly,


s: Open their eyes in thought like men full-grown.


s: And all, ancestors and descendants, young


s: Or old, have ways that challenge ridicule


s: And have the word that bursting forth makes slaves!


s: But still more beautiful and pure than these,


s: Fills with its ringing sounds our dwelling place,


s: From great Olympus, like the mingling sounds


s: Of David's harp and Pindar's lyre conversing


s: In the star-spangled darkness of the night.


s: Within this place, I breathe a dead man's soul;


s: And the dead man, a blond and beardless youth!


s: A youthful light and blond stirs in our home;


s: And moments fly, and days and years and ages.


s: The dead man's soul is in this lonely house


s: Like bitter quiet about a calm-bound ship


s: That longs for the sea-paths, and dreams of storms.


s: All faces, smoked with the faint smoke that glides


s: From candles lighting death! All eyes, still fixed


s: On a sad coffin! And the mute lips, tinged


s: With the last kiss's bitterness, still tremble.


s: As for a prayer, hands are raised, and feet


s: The snow-white nakedness of the cold walls


s: And black luxuriance of the mourning robes


s: The children's step is light in thoughtful care


s: Lest they disturb the slumber of the dead.


s: The old men, bent as at a pit's dark end,


s: Lean on the virgins' shoulders, virgins fair


s: The young men seek on endless paths to find


s: And on the window shutters that are closed,


s: The clay pots with their flowers seem to be


s: A dead man's wreath; and the lone ray that glides


s: Through the small fissure is transformed within


s: Is flickering and snaps as if it wrestled


s: With death. At moments, led astray, comes here


s: That did enchant the house, the house that seems


s: Glad for its dead yet loves and longs for him,


s: The dead blond youth, and claims him as its own!


s: And luring him, that it might hold for ever


s: Now changed its form and turned from house to grave!


s: O boy of the glad school of seven years,


s: With thy tall form, a shadow of all thou wert.


s: Thy voice had sweetness never heard before,


s: Partook with fear and longing! We forgot


s: With thee the book and laughed thy merry laughter;


s: Thou didst tear lifeless readings from our minds


s: Together with the pedant's torpid mullen,


s: And didst sow deep into our hearts the seed


s: Of the gold tree that dazzles with its light,


s: And charms, and is a tale most wonderful!


s: The princesses, with valiant heroes mated,


s: Shone in the hauntless palace of our thought,


s: First-born; and on imagination's meadow,


s: Another April bloomed. We saw Saint George,


s: The maiden. They were not letters that thy hand's


s: White clay did write, but like the mystic seal


s: And thy forefinger moved within thy hand


s: Amidst the restless swarm of humming children,


s: We had the clamor; and thou hadst the honey,


s: O comrade of the early years that bloomed,


s: Women, who, in the past, did stir Alcmena's


s: On some crosspath; whether thou blossomest


s: Like the pure lily, or tower-like thou risest;


s: Whether thou art neglected like a crumb,


s: Shinest as thy country's pride, or art alone,


s: Whether life's riddle or the grave's holds thee;


s: O brother mine and mate, from my lips here


s: Accept my distant kiss with godlike grace!


s: Homer divine! Joy of all time and glory!


s: When in the coldness of a frigid school,


s: My teacher's graceless hands placed thee before me,


s: O peerless book, what I had thought would be


s: The heavens opened wide and clear in me;


s: The school, a world; the teacher, a great bard!


s: It was not reading nor the fruit of thought:


s: A vision it was that shone most wonderful,


s: In the great fragrant cavern that the glow


s: Of burning cedar beats with pleasant warmth,


s: Her web with golden shuttle; nor sings she


s: With limpid voice. But lifting up her hands,


s: She pours her curses from her flaming heart


s: Who on Olympus shared with you their love's


s: Makes the fresh celeries and violets fade,


s: And, like the hail sent by the heaven's wrath,


s: It burns the clusters on the fruitful vines!


s: Alone heeds not the flaming curse, that he,


s: A wanderer, in the Nymph's heart did light


s: Unwittingly. But sea-wrecked and sea-beaten,


s: His native island's shores, for ever weeps


s: Upon the coast and near the sea thrice-deep.


s: The white sea-gull that often in its flight


s: Plunges its wings into the brine to catch


s: The fish, and the lone falcon perched afar


s: Oh, for my phantasy's revealed first vision!


s: Before me! Lo, the dusty, dark-brown land


s: Into Calypso of the shining hair, love-born!


s: Lands, thirsting for one country, which is love!


s: Of double strings that echoes with its sound


s: The harmony thrice ancient, curse or wail!


s: Joy of all time and glory, godlike Homer!


s: Now when the tide has covered all the land,


s: Making the pier a sea, the street a strand,


s: And the boat casts anchor at my threshold;


s: The water's victory, the billow's glory,


s: And see the rising tide a ruling empress;


s: Now when a playful and good-minded flood


s: Closes about the houses, plants, and men


s: Fondly, in a soft-flowing, sweet embrace;


s: Now when the air, the planter of the tree


s: Of Health, raised by the great sea's breath, digs deep


s: Who had the sea's pure dew, and, like a wave


s: Resistless, surpassed the tide in vehemence.


s: Life's victory, blossoming youth's proud glory,


s: And joy's own throne. Now I remember her.


s: Her face was like a cloudless early dawn;


s: The restless wave; her passing, like the flash


s: Of a swift fish that in the night swims by


s: Upon its silver path; her eyes were tinged


s: Black clouds; her voice, the sound of a calm night


s: Upon the beach; her chiseled dimples twin


s: Upon her cheeks were overfilled with smiles


s: That Loves might drink from them to slake their thirst.


s: Boy-like, she stepped on nimble foot and free,


s: A child's soul dwelling in a woman's flesh.


s: And when the high tide covered all the land,


s: Making the pier a sea, the street a strand,


s: And when the boat cast anchor at my threshold,


s: Then from her home the little girl came forth


s: Half bare, half clad, robed in the robe of light


s: In a swift dancing flood that revelled full


s: Of water-lust and crowns of seething foam.


s: She gave her orders to the sea; she ruled


s: The tide and forward drove the foaming waves,


s: Just as a shepherd lass, her white-clad sheep.


s: Her native country, first and last, the sea!


s: Seemed rising from the shining water's depths.


s: The fisherman, a primitive world's breed,


s: The sum of Christian and of Satyr blood,


s: Returning from his fruitful fishing path,


s: Hung on his hands inert as palsy stricken,


s: And the swift-winging bark stood like a rock;


s: Gazed with religious trembling and desire,


s: Exclaiming as in trance: "O holy Virgin!"


s: The smile of dawn shines in its rosy tinge,


s: With sudden ringing shouts and joyful plays;


s: And the light barks that, fastened, wait their coming,


s: Of birds whose feet are bound. And all about,


s: The lake-like sea revels in shimmers white


s: Like a wide-open pearl shell on the beach.


s: The noon's beams burn like red-hot iron bars,


s: A laden sleep draws with its heavy breath


s: The harpoons creak not in the hand's hard clasp;


s: The fish alone stir in the realm of dew;


s: A shield of silver, plaited with pure gold.


s: The sun is setting, decked in all his glory,


s: The boys go running, looking for pumice stones;


s: And lads and lasses, for sweet furtive glances;


s: A garden thickly planted with blue gentians.


s: Sea Nereids, brought on the wings of air


s: From the sea caves of Fairies on their steeds


s: Sing songs, and bathe their diamond forms, and love,


s: While round about the princess-like lagoon


s: Wears as her royal robe the star-spun sky.


s: The smile of dawn shine with its rosy tinge,


s: The hosts of tyrant slayers mount from below


s: And kiss the earth war-nurtured and war-glad.


s: And the lagoon is full of flashes swift,


s: Like a dark eye kindled with fiery wrath.


s: I have the sweetness of the lake and have


s: The bitterness of the great sea. But now,


s: My bitterness, a flood. For the cold winter,


s: The great corsair, has come with the north wind,


s: Death's king. My azure blood has slowly flowed


s: Out of my veins and gone to bring new life


s: To the deep seas. A shroud weed-woven wraps me.


s: My little islands as my tombstones stand,


s: And yonder well-built weirs are like young trees


s: That droop above my grave bereft of water.


s: But even so in the death's cold clasp, I hear


s: Within my breast a secret voiceless flutter


s: Like the young fish's flurry when, transfixed,


s: It is dragged by the spear out of the sea.


s: For I still dream of the sweet breath of love,


s: And wait for the hot summer's kiss and yours,


s: Spring breezes, sources of my dreams and love!


s: Fair pinks, with your breath, I have drunk your soul!


s: Brown is the fisherman, and brown the land


s: With the sea brine, the south wind, and the sun;


s: And round the brown land's neck, like necklace


s: Of coral, grow the pinks. Pinks of the gardens,


s: And pinks of the windows; pinks like crowns and stars;


s: In pleasant rows along the houses' stairs,


s: You sprinkle each man's path with fragrances;


s: And now and then, you bow, touched by the dress


s: Of the young girl who, breeze-like, passes by.


s: Pinks full and pinks faint-colored; flowers that cause


s: Like jasmines, flesh and soul; but whose scent has


s: Something of the sharp breath of the lagoon,


s: Even when you are pale like fainting virgins,


s: Enflames your petals without burning you!


s: Pinks, that display now your form's nakedness


s: Like children's bodies freshly bathed, and now


s: The varied ornaments of senseless dwarfs,


s: Springs from your heart and knows no end, but plays


s: Sweet pinks, with your breath, I have drunk your soul!


s: I turned back to the golden haunts of childhood,


s: And back on the white path of youth; I turned


s: The path was hidden by the thorny briars;


s: The golden haunts, burned by the midday sun;


s: An earthquake brought the wonder palace low;


s: Am left alone and palsy-stricken; snakes


s: And lizards, pains and hatreds dwell now here


s: In constant loathful brotherhood with me.


s: An earthquake brought the wonder palace low!


s: Wars distant, tempests wild, and foreign lands


s: Keep thy life-mate for years and years away;


s: Dangers and scornings threaten thee; and care


s: With guile and wrath gird thee, Penelope.


s: But thou wilt hear, and look, and wait for none


s: But him; and on thy loom thou weavest always


s: And then unweavest the thread of thy true love,


s: Thy loom, much higher than a royal throne;


s: Mortals and gods know only one more priceless


s: Than thine own loom, thy forehead, or thy kiss:


s: Thy mate, the king thou always longest for,


s: Keep him away from thee, and distant wars,


s: And monstrous Scyllas, and the guileful Sirens,


s: Not even they can blot him from thy soul,


s: Him, thy thought's whitest light, Penelope!


s: Sprinkle the field with flowers, and where glad


s: With the young maidens, once the stream of Hebrus,


s: Hand-like, brought Orpheus' orphan lyre; and since


s: That time, our island is a sacred shrine


s: Of Harmony, and its wind's breath, a song!


s: Born upon Thracian lands, as foster child;


s: And on its golden strings the restless beatings


s: Always against blind mobs and tyrants deaf,


s: I, the pride of the chosen few, the stay


s: Of the great best, returning from exile,


s: A billow-tossed world-wanderer, did stir


s: The selfsame lyre with a new quill and breathed


s: Upon the love-adorned and verdant island,


s: Like a god's trident, now Alcaeus' quill


s: He strikes with words that are like poisoned arrows


s: In vain did tender love reveal before me


s: On rose-beds Lycus, the young lad, with eyes


s: And hair coal-black, with rosy garlands bound,


s: And Sappho of the honeyed smile, the pure,


s: Of a strange modesty. Love moved me not!


s: My brother's spoil from distant Babylon.


s: I saw my hapless country's ship tossed here


s: And there, and beaten by the giant waves


s: Whose voice is mightier than the wild fury


s: The War who revels in men's blood, to come


s: And when the war did come in savage din,


s: Alas! Amidst the world of death and ruins,


s: I felt the solid earth beneath me shake;


s: My vengefulness, fade into fleeting mist;


s: My breastplate, press on me like a nightmare;


s: And my white-crested helmet, like a tombstone!


s: And while the nations twain, like maddened bulls


s: Goad-driven, rushed upon each other's death,


s: And stern Alecto spread about the flames


s: With love and verdant! There I gazed on Lycus,


s: The boy with eyes and hair coal-black that never


s: Before had touched my heart so powerfully.


s: And the Muse Sappho of the honeyed smile


s: Glittered before me, pure and violet crowned;


s: And her strange modesty bewitched my tongue


s: The strong, silently feasted on her beauty!


s: And while about the maddened Ares raged,


s: With my soul's eyes, I followed on the trail


s: Of the Lyre-God, who passed that way, returning


s: Upon a chariot drawn by snow-white swans,


s: Towards his Delphic palaces, flower-decked,


s: With nightingales and April on his train.


s: Oh, would that I might live to touch them! Would


s: That I might hold their charms in my embrace,


s: Those charms so sweet and guileful and divine!


s: And at the thought--alas, and thrice alas!--


s: I threw my trusted sword and shield away,


s: And fled, a shameful coward and a traitor!


s: _... She gave not me, but made a breathing image


s: Of the light air of heaven and gave that


s: To royal Priam's son! And yet he thought


s: Had wrought, life's perfect counterfeit,


s: Shine on fair locks like amber gleaming.


s: May touch. Therein I shall enthrone thee!


s: When first the vaulting palm-leaves spread


s: The snow-white swans bring back no more;


s: Far from the footpaths of the thoughtless,


s: Struggles to peep through its stone veil!


s: Towards the fountain tower-guarded where


s: And if their blood fills not thy thirst,


s: The bride, thrice beautiful; the groom, a wizard;


s: And I ride swiftly to the wedding feast.


s: But till I reach the end, I check the ardor


s: Of my swift-footed stallion silver-shod,


s: And wisely shorten my way's weary length


s: With sounds that, like sweet longings, wake in me,


s: Of women's beauties and of home-born shadows.


s: Then flowers pour their fragrances for me;


s: And blossoms with no scent have their own speech,


s: The speech of voiceless eyes that open wide;


s: The flames that burn within the heart, the kisses


s: That the waves squander on the sandy beach,


s: And the sweet birds that sing on children's lips!_


s: Upon the graceless river bank that spread


s: Barren and desert, all things drooped in sickness;


s: And I, with palsy stricken, lay in pains!


s: Vainly my hands shook feather-like with fever;


s: Methought my feet were nailed upon the ground;


s: The river, wide and wild; and far beyond,


s: As far as eyes could see, the other bank


s: Revelled in lusty growth and endless mirth


s: With leafy slopes and forests glistening!


s: Meadows unreaped and glades untrod were there,


s: And floods of green and tempests of new blossoms!


s: About the tree-tops glittered crowns of light;


s: Shadows thrice-deep hid mysteries divine;


s: Where the wild river's anger held them back,


s: Seeking, it seemed, a ford to come across


s: To the dark bank of wilderness and torture!


s: And toward me all seemed to stretch their hands,


s: Parched by the burning wind and worn with fever.


s: Nearby a sun-dried reed poured forth its sighs;


s: And farther, a small laurel stirred its leaves:


s: I wished to cut a flute from the dry reed


s: Of an enchantress evil-born had touched me;


s: My wounded mind fluttered on hopelessly!


s: And then thou camest girt with working garb;


s: With girdle flower-spun, with apron full


s: Of fruits, didst thou bend over me. The spell


s: And cleansedst me with myrrh; and suddenly,


s: On the bank merciless; and in thine arms


s: Thou stoodst on the threshold of the peasant hut,


s: The hut that was earth-built and filled with grass


s: As if the art of a small bird had wrought it.


s: That I might rest; and mingled with sweet care


s: And innocence, thou didst lean by my side


s: Thou didst lay on my brow thy hand to lull me;


s: And in thy thoughtful face, I saw the gleam


s: I slept and woke; even my sorrow's ogress


s: And in my hands I found both, laurel bough


s: And reed! I drank the fragrant morning breath


s: Of pines; and taking up the laurel boughs,


s: I wove with master hand the whole day long


s: All kinds of laurel crowns for thee; and then


s: Of thy small hut a flute's soft-flown complaint.


s: To the window's light and saw again, alas,


s: The world that squandered diamonds and pearls


s: And revelled in its joy of green dew-clad.


s: Stretching their hands and feigning love!


s: Thou wert not a gold sunlit cloud at sunset


s: Young maiden's joy stamped with its touch!


s: The evening star thou wert not; but thou wert


s: Hidden till then in my heart's inner depths.


s: Before me thou didst not unfold the spaces


s: Of the blue skies; not didst thou lift mine eyes


s: Towards the rough-hewn peak; nor didst thou open


s: Untrod. But lifting with one hand the basket,


s: Gently thou heldest with the other mine;


s: And deep green grass and snow-white flowers, thou


s: Badest me stoop and gather; and I stooped


s: And gathered all my hands could reach: wall-flowers,


s: Over their petals newly reaped and fresh


s: That made the basket seem a cruel spring,


s: I bent and wept for their deaths swift and fair;


s: And lo, thou didst face them, a Life agleam!


s: A Dream flew down and stood before mine eyes--


s: Who knows from what unknown deep-hidden nest?


s: And blew me with its hands three airy kisses:


s: The first air-kiss spread in my breast the din


s: Of bitter and sweet life in waves of air;


s: A tempest's roar and a sweet breath's caress.


s: All whisperings that Silence stoops to sing


s: Over bare wilderness and tombs and ruins,


s: Songs that no soul nor even wind can hear.


s: The third air-kiss would bring to me, it seemed,


s: Secrets from somewhere heard by none before.


s: Perhaps, by some bright star, two spirits white


s: Embraced each other as they passed in thought.


s: Who drew the milk of a full life and precious?


s: She filled her home with fragrance, and away


s: She filled her home with fragrance, and on wings


s: Swiftly she fled and passed away. Who knows


s: Why she has left the flesh? Perhaps, she went


s: Something new, something beyond compare or word.


s: And yet her house is wrapped in spider webs


s: And longs for her. To her warm nest, will she


s: Return? Perhaps, each time you feel, O home,


s: Within your bosom something sweet and tender


s: That cannot be explained, it may be she;


s: Who knows? Then speak to her and say: "Do you,


s: Too, long for me, O soul without return?"


s: Who are you that awake me in the morning?


s: Not the reveille that sweetens with its sounds


s: The soldier's hardy life. Nor can you be


s: The chapel bell that slowly rings to prayer.


s: Your steps fall heavy on the road. You bring


s: Thought, light, and sound, my sacred Trinity.


s: What if you rouse the slave who goes to work?


s: Not many were the flowers; and few, the lilies;


s: And I did long to reap the lily-treasure.


s: The garden rich to clasp them in mine arms.


s: And in the garden, all the roses smiled;


s: Under their veils, the violets bowed down.


s: I passed them by. The pansies looked erect


s: And scentless, wrapped in thought: by them, I stopped.


s: Sweet child, upon thy tomb, a rosebud blossomed;


s: The hand would reach at it, but it cannot.


s: And on its path the wind would blow on it;


s: Like church lights shine the blossoms in the light;


s: And butterflies are drunk with airy fragrance;


s: Yet neither for fragrance nor for light, I come


s: Running and playing, full of beaming smiles,


s: Children that make of grassy beds a heaven


s: And rise like miracles among the flowers.


s: The brows of righteous men pass slow before me,


s: Clouds calm and wide, full of refreshing rain;


s: And from the lightless depths of hell, methinks


s: I hear breast-beatings and dark blasphemies.


s: And suddenly, I mingle speech with rime,


s: The rime that above human things and woes,


s: Towards worlds of thought and earth-transcending loves.


s: Whatever be thy substance, O bright gleam,


s: Iron or stone, silver or wind, air-cloud


s: Or dream, my longing is the same for thee!


s: Within me thought and hands and art and science


s: Struggle to build together the same temple.


s: All marbles: purple, green, and white. I searched


s: Snake-like, and Cyclads fair, and Attica.


s: And now the columns stand a forest speechless


s: And motionless; and among them, the rhythms


s: And thoughts move in slow measures constantly.


s: And in their depths, light-written images


s: Show Love that leads and Soul that follows him.


s: The axe and hammer of the priest black-robed


s: Struck down the holy idols of the temples;


s: And yet the soul of the ruins perished not!


s: It climbed the heaven's spaces as a star


s: Until new sculptured lilies came to life


s: In master minds, the gardens of the wise.


s: Thus axe and hammer of the priest black-robed


s: Broke not the holy idols of the temples!


s: Sweet child, upon thy tomb a rosebud blossomed;


s: Is it thy joy or grief? Thy heart or thou?


s: If mind, remember me! If mouth, speak forth!


s: The lightning flushing from the source of nothing!"


s: Thy cup is foaming with its black strong wine;


s: Bring to our fountain thy white-foaming cup,


s: And brighten into red thy black strong wine


s: With the fresh water of our fountain here.


s: I have a thought of dew; a heart of flame!


s: The wine vat boils; the spring flows fresh and cool;


s: The black strong wine with the sweet water dew.


s: A hundred years! A hundred years are gone


s: Of Grecian mornings and of Grecian sunsets!


s: And bury them, the hapless dead, in silence!


s: A hundred dragons watch a queen black-robed,


s: A widowed orphan queen in a lone castle;


s: And they dig up the scattered fragments of


s: An ancient and exhaustless treasure, once


s: Her own, and bring them as their gifts to her!


s: "I need no fragments! May the hour be cursed


s: Where I was queen! While here, I am a slave!"


s: Loud-crying birds that fly toward the heights,


s: White swans, and swans that cut so tenderly


s: The silent waters of the lake in thoughts


s: Of silent sorrow, tameless birds and weary!


s: O swans that dream the conquest of the sun,


s: And swans that wait the coming of deep sleep!


s: Where I can see lake-swans and winds like you!


s: My banished life has found a home near thee;


s: And by thy grace, I am thy priest, O Phoebus!


s: I made the sun-born maiden to thy glory!


s: I lifted to thine image my loud praises,


s: And lo, bells hoarse and tuneless answered them.


s: Yet what of it? Thine endless praise I am,


s: O little life, quenched by the blow of death


s: Upon the chiseled glitter of the marble!


s: Silenced, whose strains my memory cannot


s: Thou bindest, O breath unpainted and unsung.


s: Like a far dawn, thou smiledst in my mind,


s: A dawn most sweet and shy and fleeting. Then


s: One day, over my child's pure head thou bentest


s: With face abloom with smiles and fond caresses.


s: From thee, though thou didst pass; and in the evening


s: Which in me rises slowly, the dream fairy


s: Of the azure tales looks with thy face on me.


s: Sinner, thy mother gave thee not the milk


s: That makes the cheek a rose, the man a castle!


s: Each nursing was a sin; each drop, a sickness!


s: Within thee, ancient lives revive thrice-wretched.


s: Vices of ancestors unknown and instincts


s: Before they rose to light, thus to become


s: Like smiles and fields of azure blue, came down


s: To dwell in thee, a people of tormentors!


s: And one day, sinner, thine own mother gave


s: Calling upon its throngs of worshippers.


s: And on thy way, the luring harlot watched


s: And stripped thee of thy mind; and as thy hands


s: Struggled to clasp her, down the image fell,


s: And forthwith even there, the plague began


s: To visit thee! And crumbling down, thou didst


s: Than the dead corpse on which the ravens feed!


s: And seeing it, thou strugglest painfully,


s: Stretchest thy hands towards the ditch's filth,


s: And darest a prayer to the saint defiled,


s: Though still enflamed by thirst for the vile kiss!


s: I lingered not, nor stooped to pluck you, flowers!


s: And I adored you just as thought and sky!


s: My hand reached not to touch you sinfully,


s: The music that the wind brings on its wings


s: In perfect strains directly to the heart.


s: I wished your dazzling could remain as that


s: From far thy fragrance came to me, O jasmine;


s: And thy gleam, lily, like the eyes' light-kisses!


s: But since my darling child lay down to sleep


s: The bitter sleep that knows no wakening,


s: For him! I wish to play new plays with him,


s: And spread you over him as mine embrace!


s: Breathing into his grave the flower soul


s: Weak though I am, would all earth's verdancy


s: Were a long dream and kiss for my beloved!


s: Would that whatever is beyond man's touch,


s: Air-born, transcending earth, or fleeting, all


s: That has a sunbeam as its heart, a breeze as body,


s: Fair vision, thought, or heaven--would that I


s: Could close them into forms and scatter them


s: Upon his flower-clad grave with you, sweet flowers!


s: In my paternal love, pure white, the flames


s: Of passion burn; and then, the yellow languor


s: Of a sick man! Thus did I love him, flowers!


s: His father though they called me, I was his lover!


s: O flowers, did you know it? Was your life,


s: So pure and little, ever touched by such


s: A woe? Does not a quenchless longing stir you


s: As you grow on the selfsame flower bough?


s: The body of my child, sent up from depths


s: Of a god's dream! Was he of mine own blood?


s: Grow, or advance in thought and deed; I was


s: Drunk with his luring wine, his eyes, his face,


s: Had blown on him! The stranger's song revolved


s: Before my mind: "Thou little line so fine,


s: Written with roses, line that wert his mouth,


s: How dost thou give birth to that mighty trembling?"


s: From mine embrace, I felt the torturings


s: Of a disease and drank the bitter draughts


s: Reclining on mine arms and breathing gently,


s: Beauty light-born, and said: "What is there more


s: For me to hope?" O flowers, did you know it?


s: Can you, too, mingle your little hidden hearts


s: Fed with sweet honey, the pure frankincense


s: Of a thrice-blue and earth-transcending worship,


s: The bitterest and saddest blows, the blows


s: That know no healing on this earth of ours,


s: Come from our dearest! Thus he fled and left me


s: O little flowers, flowers of dark death!


s: Here bloomed our home; the young plant verdant blossomed


s: In the cool shade of the fresh green grape-vine;


s: And here the mystic moon, entwined in green,


s: Descended like a first-seen ghost on us.


s: Here the two fountains of desire refreshed


s: Our years: the one, before our eyes; the others,


s: In dreams. The fair Muse silenced here care's crickets


s: And stirred the sacred frenzy of the lyre.


s: Here we enjoyed our first-born's flutterings;


s: And here the little gleaming face and round,


s: Our second fruit, maddened us with pure joy!


s: As the unhoped return of a longed friend,


s: The third one, who transformed the worldly air


s: Of high Olympus, dwelling of the blessed!


s: Here was thy youth, even when care oppressed thee,


s: A fair Venetian painting, the blithe work


s: Of a light-beaming Titian, that revealed


s: Pure shining joy in thy lithe body's form.


s: Here bloomed our home; the young plant verdant blossomed,


s: Hidden in the cool shade of the green vine.


s: Now, nothing remains. Only the mystic moon


s: Weeps in a palace voiceless, wide, and gloomy!


s: The life that died here wished for April as


s: Grave-digger, and a flower-bed as grave.


s: Oh, who had cursed it? Nothing but a tomb


s: Was found for it! A tomb unfit and graceless!


s: And Aegipans, Wood-Nymphs, and shepherd gods!


s: The bridal beds are set! The forest glades,


s: In flurry! The Flower Festival has come!


s: The bacchic revelry bursts forth in glow


s: And frenzy! Where is nature and where is


s: Its end? I know not whether I am myself;


s: Great Pan, it seems, dwells in my bosom here.


s: O God of the golden crown, the three fair Graces


s: And the Nine Sisters of the Song gave me


s: I filled me with the foam-begotten beauty


s: Of all! I hear the nightingales' sweet song


s: The woes of Aeschylus resound prophetic,


s: Ocean-born! Face to face with me, as swift


s: As glance, green-clad Atlantides rise forth


s: Phoenicians battling with the sea brought me


s: World-wandering! Arts, talks, and images


s: Are bristling in the air! Take me, O Nymphs


s: Made answer to my pleading with one voice


s: From cities, mountains, forests, cliffs, and plains:


s: "Gods' wine is not for thee, O reveller!"


s: With awe-inspiring prophetess Cassandra,


s: And the song-nourished Hellades; they spoke


s: Silence! Turn back to thy lone cloister cell."


s: With the white goddesses of marble wrought


s: By Scopas' hand; laugh, and their laughter-peals


s: More than the godlike gleams of sculptured stone,


s: More than the golden rhythms the poet weaves,


s: Who knows if a good act unknown, some wound's


s: Balsam, shines not with brighter lasting beams?


s: Who knows if for some god's unfailing ear,


s: Of melodies sung by Virtue's lips serene?


s: Bright shine the temples of Fair Art; bright shine


s: The rainbows heavenly of Thought; and bright,


s: Can they be costlier than the mute Thought


s: The thoughtful sage high-rising smites the gates


s: Of the Infinite and questions every Sphinx;


s: Yet who knows if the soldier with no will,


s: O struggle vast! Who knows what power measures


s: Is it the matchless thought of the endowed,


s: Or the dim soul of multitudes that bursts,


s: Thoughtless of reason, into life? Who knows?


s: With readiness; yet who needs more such blessing?


s: Is it the free-born bird that makes its nest


s: Wherever its strong wings would waft it, or


s: The flowery plant bound by a bit of earth?


s: Which is the light of Truth? Is it the Law


s: That is all eyes or is it some blind love?


s: What leads us there? The hidden path where bent


s: And trembling we seek our way, or the wide road


s: That makes us fly with wingèd confidence?


s: O Thought, thou dream-crowned maiden, ever wrestling


s: With a blood-filled, swift woman masculine,


s: Whose bosom, thine or hers, is doomed to yield


s: The destined milk to nourish and to heal


s: O Thought, thou angel, ever wrestling on


s: With a strong giant flinging his hundred hands


s: About thy neck to strangle thee, wilt thou


s: Battle with sword or lily? Oh, the world


s: Will crumble ere thy struggle finds an end!


s: O hapless one, when thou wert born, there came


s: The Fate thrice-blessed and clasped thee in her arms


s: To bless thee with a hero's mighty deeds


s: The Fate whose blessings teem with light and might.


s: Unspoken and of voiceless death, kept watch;


s: And she led thee away from the blue shore


s: With lilies sown, to the salt marsh of terror


s: And the sheer precipice of fearful trembling!


s: Nor could thy baby hands grasp more than this,


s: Of thy good mother Fate, the veil embroidered


s: With the star-spangled sky by master hand!


s: O hapless One, while virgin joy bathes thee


s: Abundant and thy tears are yet a baby's,


s: Something within thee groans, the muffled madness


s: Lone cells. And while thou showest the calm life


s: Of tame things and of love in thy still nook,


s: Thou breedest fettered wraths and bridled hatreds.


s: Should they burst forth, ruin and wilderness


s: Of pitfalls opened wide and yawning void!


s: No dawning was thy lot; even those boughs


s: Young of thine early years were parched with drought!


s: Whatever white thou touchedst was defiled!


s: And thine old age, if thou couldst bare thy youth,


s: Would shriek with fear and fly from thy youth's face!


s: Mercilessly nailed down thy hands and will,


s: Infirm and hapless, starless night enclosed


s: In a weak child! Death will not come to thee


s: The whole day long, and towards evening, sleep,


s: Creeps sweetly upon him and seals his eyes.


s: Thy death shall be laden with graspless horror


s: And dreads each hour detection of his sin,


s: Trial, death sentence, and the hangman's rope.


s: O hapless One, would that in thy death struggle


s: Her bosom might still shine before thine eyes,


s: The good Fate's breast, who blessed thy birth with goodness,


s: The Fate whose blessings teem with light and might!


s: Would that thou couldst show her the humble shred


s: Torn from the star-wrought sacred veil of hers


s: And tell her: "See, in the deep darkness smiles


s: Something, a dawn on which I still hold fast!"


s: O hapless One! Would that the mighty heroes


s: And royal purples and the blessings full


s: Of light and might and all thou knewest not


s: Thy passing as the lights of distant stars!


s: The bride, thrice-beautiful; the groom, a wizard;


s: And I ride swiftly to the wedding feast.


s: And the far land a vision was! The steed,


s: A smoke! The wedding, angels' shadows fleet!


s: I hold. I hold you as a dying darling child,


s: Languid and glowing with the fever's heat,


s: Holds on to his dear plaything, with white wings


s: The child unskilled, dream-roaming, stript of will!


s: Your shining wings for healing or for death


s: To the cool shadow of the pure-white home


s: O Palm Tree, someone's hand has cast us here;


s: Or moved by mind of good intent? Who knows?


s: What impulse seized us from the cave of sleep


s: That sets us motionless beneath thy shade?


s: And is thy shade the shade of life or death?


s: The glare of the hot sun drowned everything;


s: Gluttonous locusts groped for food about;


s: And then, a rain. The flowers, that had drooped


s: To sleep, awake to drink the drops of dew.


s: And then, the clear sky's festival begins


s: More azure than before to spread above thee.


s: Only thy trembling crest drops here and there


s: Some large and shining rain-pearls on the earth.


s: The garden glitters with a new-born life;


s: And each bird dreams it is a nightingale;


s: Only from thy lone heights like bullets fall


s: Thy pearl-clear drops, and oh, the pain thereof!


s: The dew drops make a crown for everything;


s: Why should this god-sent goodness of all things


s: Beneath thy shade we live; thy trunk is world


s: To us; thy crown, a star-spun sky, our sky!


s: Thyself! If not, but nod and give us calm!


s: Either cease slaying us one by one, or pour


s: Our pain is as reward and treasure found!


s: The golden seal of harmony has stamped us,


s: And while Death touches us, we glory, victors!


s: We tremble; hail O rhythm's thrice-sacred tremor!


s: A worm may live sunless beneath the earth


s: May live an hour of perfect life and die.


s: The wound's gash turns into a living fountain!


s: Things gray, things crystal, myriad hues of green,


s: Gushings of fountains clear, and caterpillars,


s: Earth's things immovable, air-sailing ships,


s: And little worms, and bees, and butterflies,


s: Sweet flower-grails and censers, fondling grass,


s: The moss-down's countless kisses, echoes from


s: Leaves quivering and lilies languor-bringing!


s: The turtle-doves know not what you know, blossoms,


s: The chosen things of beautiful loves, you!


s: Kisses and starts and wooings of the boughs!


s: The birth of each of you is a world's dawn!


s: You know, O little tearful short-lived things,


s: You know pleasure's and joy's eternities!


s: We, the gold garlands wreathed about thy root,


s: Blithe flowers, boughs that hang with blossoms full,


s: You may be like the glowing coals or gems,


s: Or like a maiden's rosy cheeks and lips.


s: Though you, like hands, may open full or empty,


s: And though you be dawn's smiles or evening's candles,


s: The gazing eyes are we! We are the eyes!


s: Though small we are, a great world hides in us;


s: And in us clouds of care and dales of grief


s: At evenings; tears that roll not down the cheeks;


s: What prison's kin are we? Who would believe it?


s: One, damnèd, and godlike, dwells in us; and she is Thought!


s: Frolick, and form, and wanton playfulness,


s: Fading like gods' pale images, you seem!


s: Even the bird sometimes bows to your grace!


s: A god commanded it, the flower-haired April!


s: "O flowing fragrance, change to brilliancy!"


s: Thus you are scentless, roses of Bengal;


s: All others' perfume is bright light in you.


s: And thou, O lily, king among the flowers,


s: From what far world hast thou been led astray?


s: Was it from fragrance's own womb, or from


s: The whitest star? And we, O Palm? Who knows!


s: Thou hast not flowed nor watered us at birth.


s: We said to fragrance: "Cease thy flowing course;


s: Well not from us; nor be our breath! Sink deep


s: Into our heart's recesses; close thyself


s: Then seek to find our thought and live with it


s: And flow from it as honey from the bee!"


s: "Bring forth from the rich treasures of the sun


s: All colors, flowers, and deck yourselves with them!"


s: Robes of the heaven's rainbow for your raiment!"


s: Shall let aside all brilliance! I need not


s: Sunset or dawn; enough would be something


s: Of the great sea and of the heaven's smile!"


s: Become a cloud, O great Desire, and speak


s: With lightnings and with thunders! Rise, a lark,


s: And sing and soar towards a new starry garden!


s: And all the beauty that is thine; still thou


s: Wilt have love's shadow only but not love.


s: For love shines, burns, illumines quenchlessly!


s: The garden draws life from a triple soul,


s: A soul that spreads creeping upon the earth


s: With roots beneath and wings above. A city,


s: The caterpillar builds in its great depths;


s: The bird builds love towards heights ethereal!


s: About all green things live to be thy slaves


s: And trimming ornaments, O palm! How high


s: Skyward thou raisest thy grace-moulded body!


s: Thy trunk's unchained and chiseled nakedness;


s: And yet, though naked, with a charm dream-wrought


s: Of beams pearl-born and silver-born shines bright


s: As it hangs trembling from thy top, O palm.


s: Oh what a rhythm governs thy form divine!


s: As it waves towards the sky, moved by the breeze!


s: That sings like bard and nourishes like mother!


s: Another world's day hangs from thy high crest!


s: Gods and their hymns god-sung are at thy feet!


s: Neither an angel's shade in a hermit's cave,


s: Nor harmony's voice in Night's deep silence,


s: Nor the great maker's thought just as it dawns


s: In his wide-fronted heaven, and is still


s: A dwelling in the form of word or music,


s: Thine image caught and mirrored in our thought!


s: That flows in thee, or sap too weak to wake thee


s: From thy long spell of blind and voiceless sleep


s: Is thy head's crown another's counterfeit,


s: Or thine own locks that smitten by the wind


s: Become stringed lyres to sing in murmurs sweet


s: Of the world's symphony and of thy beauty?


s: Neither thy boughs nor locks they are, but wings


s: That thou wouldst ply with gentle flutterings!


s: Wings? They are not, though they become; and ever


s: Right, left, high, far, thou seekest a fair city,


s: Some sunlit Athens, and standest bent on flying


s: With swans and cranes towards the azure heavens.


s: Art thou a relic of a dead age and great,


s: Now some Wood Nymph bound within thee peeps out


s: Struggling to flow into the light about;


s: And now thou risest like the column last


s: Of an old temple that once stood in Hellas.


s: Something binds thee to skies beyond all sight.


s: Hosannas from thy boughs and palm leaves flow,


s: Hosannas from thy royal height, as prayer


s: To some unknown god's charms, who passes by


s: Revealing his fair godhead first to thee.


s: And lo, the hillsides answer thine hosannas!


s: Oh, what thy visions, what thy secrets are?


s: Some tremor, from new heavens wafted, makes


s: The supple flowers and green leaves quiver.


s: And we? The migrant bird did come to us;


s: The passing wind did touch us with its wing;


s: The restless brook did check its rapid course;


s: The child did cast on us his guileless glance;


s: The jonquil proud did greet us with a nod;


s: And the moon did look down to see us here;


s: And all beheld our surface; none our depths!


s: Thus the world glided over us and vanished!


s: Sweet orange blossoms, what asked the nightingales?


s: What would the dry cicala know of noontide?


s: All things that groan from the great depths of earth,


s: All songs that mount exultant to the stars,


s: The eating moth's faint voice, the restless cricket's,


s: Perfumes and breezes, creatures lone and mated,


s: All things that fly and creep and bend and stoop,


s: Something they know of thee and hide it from us.


s: Within our breasts, a soul of storm and pitch


s: Puts into our minds evil thoughts of thee.


s: The magpie chatters long to the night bat


s: Of thee; the locust boasts she is like thee;


s: The wasp draws ample pleasure in thy shelter;


s: And the night raven finds delight in thee.


s: For thee who mountest tranquil to the stars.


s: O Health blown from the heart of the pure pine!


s: Where thy feet tread, fruits grow 'midst thorns and clover;


s: If with the streams thou flowest, the elements


s: Shine; for pure wine, thou reapest the fair clusters;


s: Thy breasts flow ever with milk; thy lips with dew!


s: O mother fruitful, strong, and whole, some ill


s: Rots us and we are pale like death's faint tapers!


s: Boughs, tresses, wings; shadows whose grace divine


s: Frolics and spreads as bough or tress or wing;


s: A form that was neither bough, tress, nor wing:


s: Swords you seemed, ready to descend and smite!


s: Illness and wakefulness have tortured us,


s: The dragon's heads and dogwoods were awake;


s: We saw thee leading a strange dance with them


s: At night; and in our first sleep, we beheld thee


s: Chameleons; about thee closed whole gardens


s: Of thistles, aloes hard, and hosts of briars!


s: We dreamed and lo, thou wert demanding tribute


s: Of life, blood-drenched; and in thy being raged


s: A savage hunger; and some beast flesh-eating


s: Nestled in thee and gnawed a hole through thee;


s: A vulture perched as crown upon thy head;


s: And like fire-flames, and sea-waves, and sword-blades,


s: From root to top, fierce snakes crept up and coiled!


s: Who ever thought of it? What Fate has ruled


s: That from ill-smelling things and worthless stuff


s: Should rise things of resplendent green? and from


s: Deforming filth, the thrice-pure miracle


s: Of May and April? Hence things blue and black


s: Mingle in us; and in our souls, spread oceans


s: And narrow paths; and while our minds converse


s: With things sublime, something thrice-base defiles us!


s: O Sun, assail and strangle all black dreams,


s: Our life's dim vapors and ill-working demons!


s: But nourish all things good and beautiful


s: Like sunbeams playing and like nightingales!


s: And thou, O moon, spread over savage Night


s: A veil translucent of heart-felt sympathy!


s: Wave everywhere, O Beauty's purple robe!


s: Let the great world be love and love's sweet lyre!


s: Day comes! Light scatters a thousand eyes on thee


s: So that thou mayest greet the woods and mountains,


s: Or ports. At nights, mounted on steeds of light


s: Beautiful Fairies come from high to serve thee;


s: The poplar lifts its many hands to thee;


s: And the dark cypresses lull thee to sleep.


s: With pelicans and eagles thou conversest,


s: And drop by drop thou drinkest the world's music;


s: Thou seest things far, things near, and things above;


s: And thou communest with air-sailing ships,


s: Light-rays, and wings, and the world-mounting ladder;


s: While we, bent low, and lashed by sorrow's whip,


s: Listen to the great throbbing of Earth's heart!


s: We heard it, the great throbbing of Earth's heart,


s: Through it, some thunder-stricken angel groans;


s: All April's gardens breathe in fragrant balms;


s: Some unfulfilled and secret longings weep;


s: And a fire crackles that will ruin worlds!


s: Something that passes by, an endless riddle!


s: We shall unroll to you the tale of blackness.


s: Thy mighty power with our own winning grace!


s: In unseen places, small and cold and sunless,


s: A world of workers and of corsairs dwell;


s: And there are paths and deeds of theirs, and days,


s: And what the infinite air-spheres have not!


s: A swarm of bees has told us of their life,


s: Brought us here news of countries, nations, arts;


s: The little flowers broadened our world of thought!


s: Strange was the hour--who will believe it now?--


s: The divine world willed to become a thought,


s: And thought revealed itself unto our mind!


s: O Palm, make answer; lo, before thou speakest


s: Thy word sublime, a hand lays wait to smite!


s: O Palm, a hand did spread to sow us here;


s: That hand will spread again to root us out,


s: And we shall die! The billow and the wind


s: Mercilessly! The flowery spring will not


s: Lament us! The wide world will never know


s: We perished! And beneath thy shadow's charms,


s: Another fragrant race will rise to life.


s: That might retain the phantom of our passing!


s: Adorn thee with a new and deathless gleam:


s: And it shall be our thought, and word, and rime!


s: Thou wilt appear like a gold-green new star;


s: Yet neither thou nor others will know of us!


s: This essay is republished, with a few changes, from _Poet Lore_,


s: My translation of it originally appeared in the _Stratford


s: Journal_, from which I quote it in its entirety.


s: On Patras, the birth-place of the poet. See Introduction, p. 13.


s: On Missolonghi, the place of the poet's childhood. See


s: On the Island of Corfu, one of the most important centers of the


s: vernacular. He has also translated some of Shakespeare's plays.


s: Italian and in Greek. Several of his songs have spread as folk


s: On classic Greece, in contrast with the following sonnet which


s: refers to the spirit of Greece throughout the ages, from the


s: classic period to the time of the Byzantine Empire.


s: The hero of medieval Greece, Digenes Akritas, who is supposed to


s: number of folk-songs about him not only in Greek but in Turkish,


s: Bulgarian, Serbian, and Albanian as well.


s: A pseudonym for Constantine Chatzopoulos, one of the leading


s: dedicated to him was written during the unfortunate Greco-Turkish


s: Maviles was born in Ithaca, 1860, and fell in the battle of


s: Driscos, November 29, 1912. He is the writer of exquisite sonnets


s: Cretan Revolution of 1896 is here alluded to, which led to the


s: Greco-Turkish war of 1897. Maviles was one of the first to hasten


s: Alexandros Pallis is one of the greatest literary figures of


s: mainly due to his translation of the _Iliad_ and that of the _New


s: The poet had in mind the following lines of Sully Prudhomme from


s: and copies are now rare and not easily come by. Both in the


s: _One Epistle To Mr. A. Pope, Occasion’d By Two Epistles Lately


s: To guess, ere _One Epistle_ saw the light,


s: How many brother-dunces club’d their mite.


s: Flow Welsted, Flow! like thine inspirer, Beer,


s: Tho’ stale, not ripe; tho’ thin, yet never clear;


s: So sweetly mawkish, and so smoothly dull;


s: Heady, not strong, and foaming tho’ not full.


s: The most curious of the charges is that Pope,


s: ... from the Skies, propitious to the Fair,


s: Brought down _Caecilia_, and sent _Cloris_ there. (p. 11)


s: Who will name any young Writer, allow’d to have Merit, that hath


s: _The Blatant Beast_ is pro-Cibber, of course, but it criticizes