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A Dream
A DreamCharles Williams NO more in any house can I be at peace, Because of a house that waits, far off or near, To-morrow or (likelier) after many a year, Where a room and a door are that shall fulfil my fear. For last night, dreaming, I stood in a house and saw Softly the…
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Gipsy Queen
Gipsy QueenJohn Alexander Chapman Gipsy queen of the night, wraith of the fire-lit dark, Glittering eyes of ice, sharp as glacier green, Lisping falling kisses, syllabled flakes of snow, Down on the stubble fields, over my eyes and hair; If on my mouth one falls, it is tasteless and light and cold— She mocks you,…
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The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
PART IV ‘I fear thee, ancient Mariner! I fear thy skinny hand! And thou art long, and lank, and brown, As is the ribbed sea-sand. I fear thee and thy glittering eye, And thy skinny hand, so brown.’— Fear not, fear not, thou Wedding-Guest! This body dropt not down. Alone, alone, all, all alone, Alone…
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Saigyo
In my limited experience of Japanese poetry, Saigyo, a monk writing during the 12th century, is by far my favorite poet. A few selections, again from Carter’s Traditional Japanese Poetry: Spring On a roadsidenext to a clear flowing streamin a willow’s shadeI stopped–for a moment, I thought–but ended up staying on Autumn It creates a hearteven in…
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Woodworker’s Ballad
Woodworker’s BalladHerbert Edward Palmer ALL that is moulded of ironHas lent to destruction and blood;But the things that are honour’d of ZionAre most of them made from wood. Stone can be chisell’d to Beauty,And iron shines bright for Defence;But when Mother Earth ponder’d her dutyShe brought forth the forest, from whence Come tables, and chairs, and…
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Good Friday
Good Friday By Christina Rossetti AM I a stone and not a sheep That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy Cross, To number drop by drop Thy Blood’s slow loss, And yet not weep? Not so those women loved Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee; Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly; Not so the…
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The Donkey
The DonkeyG.K. Chesterton When fishes flew and forests walked And figs grew upon thorn,Some moment when the moon was blood Then surely I was born. With monstrous head and sickening cry And ears like errant wings,The devil’s walking parody On all four-footed things. The tattered outlaw of the earth, Of ancient crooked will;Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb, I keep my…
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The Song of Callicles
The Song of CalliclesMatthew Arnold Through the black, rushing smoke-bursts, Thick breaks the red flame. All Etna heaves fiercely Her forest-clothed frame. Not here, O Apollo! Are haunts meet for thee. But, where Helicon breaks down In cliff to the sea. Where the moon-silver’d inlets Send far their light voice Up the still vale of…
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Dan Yingst 