Best Poems Of 1890:
When No Leaf Stirred,Long Ago In The Past:
When no leaf stirred, long ago in the past,
she was born, autumnal silence’s bloom,
standing pale-bright while light weeps, overcast:
rain falls from the cloud banks that loom.
Amid the grimness she stood pale-bright,
her bright eyes by blond hair were circled tight,
tears often flowing, hands all white,
a poor light girl who’s hungry for light.
Paint her with bloom-glow hues, with your
blood red, new age who’re standing at the door
I once sat quietly and read:
I once sat quietly and read,
the books like tombs for the dead
before me, I knew just what
was in each grave plot.
My body sat in a room inside,
tree branches crossed panes outside,
irked me and crept to and fro,
green leaves gained an ochre glow.
Amazed, I looked up to the skies
outside, but couldn’t surmise
what it was or how
that struck their light surface now.
Oh, then how my poor heart hungered,
and so trembled and hankered,
so dry and it would not rain
and each day passed in vain.
I sat in those days of light –
my heart raced in endless flight –
I sat using my eyes and head
it all seemed like tombs for the dead.
Oh When The Sun Shines:
Oh when the sun shines
and the earth fades and pines
in that lustre
where shadows cluster,
and its head dimly heaves
shrouded in shadowy leaves –
come hither, come hither
you white-feet together
together the hands, the feet –
laugh-toothed
blue-eyed
blond-high
silver-word keening one,
lined head-leaning one
backwards up to the sky –
sweet, sweet, slowly fly
through the sun’s first glow
in the tall hedgerow
of sun – sweet sweet slowly goes by,
don’t pass too soon, pass, pass, the sky
still hangs trembling behind you –
forever longing for you
forever, forever – don’t fly too fast –
as you pass
I stretch out my arms
in longing, in longing
I stretch out my arms,
don’t fly too fast.
The sun. Yellow And Gold Is The World:
The sun. Yellow and gold is the world
and all the sun’s rays are unfurled
through the silent sky, angel-sweet.
It dangles its little feet,
girls’ mouths blow golden flutes,
from pursed lips gold laughter shoots,
on this marble the clatter of laughter’s coins,
I sit and warm my loins.
Look at them walking turning around,
it’s like autumn on the white stone ground,
autumn with leaves dry, crackly and yellow and yellow,
angels with robes gold-woven and mellow,
above, gold fleeces float away,
while sun rushes sway,
sunny gold whistling sounds from their mouth,
they guide each other up from the south,
across my marble floor they go
in golden slippers on tiptoe.
They seem to have flocked into every last space,
yellow gold wine fills this earthly place.
The Silent Road:
The silent road
the glowing moonlit road –
the trees
the oh so still and aged trees –
the water
the gently tautened contented water,
And beyond, far off, the sunken sky
with the stars’ wheedling cry.
The Trees Were All Still:
The trees were all still,
the sky was grey
the hills without will
lay in strange array.
The men were busy at toil
all about the place
as if digging treasure from soil,
though with measured pace.
Across the world’s face
things were probably alike,
the world and the human race
are scarcely alive.
I walked and watched the scene
scared and content,
below, ever loyal and keen,
my footsteps bent.
I’m alone in the lamplight:
I’m alone in the lamplight,
impassive things absorb the sight,
round me in the light.
Things stand round me so still,
listening to silence’s will,
what tales it will spill.
And a past now audibly nears
my quietly shocked and pricked-up ears,
things lost for years.
You Stand So Very Still:
You stand so very still
with your hands, I’ve a will
to tell you sweet things, a lot,
but I don’t know what.
Your shoulders are such a fine sight,
round you thawing of light,
warm, warm, warm – silently cloaked
in warmth, by desire I’m choked.
Your eyes are as blue
as clear water – I do
wish that I could be
you for a moment, but I stay me.
And what was it I wanted to say
to you?– it’s flown away
The spring comes from afar:
The spring comes from afar, I hear it come hither
and the trees hear too, the tall trees that shiver,
and the tall skies, the heavenly skies,
the tingle-light skies, the blue-and-white skies,
shiver skies.
Oh I hear her come,
oh I feel her come
and I’m filled with fright
at trembling desires, all bright,
just about to break –
oh the spring comes, I hear it coming,
hear the sky waves break
around around my head
I always believed what they said
now it has come.
It is gold in the sky like golden saints’ trails,
in baggy light robes, like sails
that now cross, sail the earth,
skim the lakes of air
with their soft smooth wear
and linger there
and come back again,
sails bearing the soft high cloak of air
to and fro swaying
and reflected looks playing
in the blue warmed water expanses.
Oh do you hear her come
with your soft warm fingers
trembling high in the flower
The beach was still and white:
The beach was still and white
I sat still and relished the sight
of the blue rippling –
and I heard wind singing.
I knew who sat by me
with frock of white, and she
had a face smooth and rose-red –
the sun shone overhead.
then there came a strain
of music that buskers played,
blowing in a parade.
Then I felt the lie
of recalling joy gone by
that when young we sometimes feel,
so alive we dance a reel.
The Town Was Wet With The Rain:
The town was wet with the rain,then there came a strain
of music that buskers played,
blowing in a parade.
Then I felt the lie
of recalling joy gone by
that when young we sometimes feel,
so alive we dance a reel.
Hey I Wish You Were The Air:
Hey I wish you were the air
so I could breathe you in
and see you high in the light
and pass through your skin.
Where are your arms and your hands
and those white and wondrous lands
of your shoulders and shining breast
by hunger and thirst I’m possessed.
meadows of gold-green in sparkling atmospheres
of mists – molten gold horizons –
by gold sun glowing mist-strewn gold obscured.
A gold light abroad gold doubt.
everywhere, everywhere, royal doubt,
doubting gold, golden desperation.
Our hearts enthroned in the golden darkness,
in the gold our eyes like crystal crowns.
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The Sky Was Yellow As Yellow:
The sky was yellow as yellow chrysanthemums –meadows of gold-green in sparkling atmospheres
of mists – molten gold horizons –
by gold sun glowing mist-strewn gold obscured.
A gold light abroad gold doubt.
everywhere, everywhere, royal doubt,
doubting gold, golden desperation.
Our hearts enthroned in the golden darkness,
in the gold our eyes like crystal crowns.
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