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larryhammerFor Poetry Monday:
Leda, H. D.
Where the slow river
meets the tide,
a red swan lifts red wings
and darker beak,
and underneath the purple down
of his soft breast
uncurls his coral feet.
Through the deep purple
of the dying heat
of sun and mist,
the level ray of sun-beam
has caressed
the lily with dark breast,
and flecked with richer gold
its golden crest.
Where the slow lifting
of the tide,
floats into the river
and slowly drifts
among the reeds,
and lifts the yellow flags,
he floats
where tide and river meet.
Ah kingly kiss—
no more regret
nor old deep memories
to mar the bliss;
where the low sedge is thick,
the gold day-lily
outspreads and rests
beneath soft fluttering
of red swan wings
and the warm quivering
of the red swan's breast.
H(ilda) D(oolittle) (1886-1961) was co-founder, with her then-fiancé Ezra Pound and future husband Richard Aldington, of the Imagist movement. Her eventual life-partner Annie Ellerman was also a writer, primarily of historical novels, under the pen-name Bryher.
---L.
Subject quote from “Farewell! but whenever you welcome the hour,” Thomas Moore.
Leda, H. D.
Where the slow river
meets the tide,
a red swan lifts red wings
and darker beak,
and underneath the purple down
of his soft breast
uncurls his coral feet.
Through the deep purple
of the dying heat
of sun and mist,
the level ray of sun-beam
has caressed
the lily with dark breast,
and flecked with richer gold
its golden crest.
Where the slow lifting
of the tide,
floats into the river
and slowly drifts
among the reeds,
and lifts the yellow flags,
he floats
where tide and river meet.
Ah kingly kiss—
no more regret
nor old deep memories
to mar the bliss;
where the low sedge is thick,
the gold day-lily
outspreads and rests
beneath soft fluttering
of red swan wings
and the warm quivering
of the red swan's breast.
H(ilda) D(oolittle) (1886-1961) was co-founder, with her then-fiancé Ezra Pound and future husband Richard Aldington, of the Imagist movement. Her eventual life-partner Annie Ellerman was also a writer, primarily of historical novels, under the pen-name Bryher.
---L.
Subject quote from “Farewell! but whenever you welcome the hour,” Thomas Moore.
no subject
Date: 19 December 2023 04:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 19 December 2023 04:26 pm (UTC)You should!
(NB: I haven't myself, but I've had it rec'd to me more than once.)