THE MAIDEN SPEAKS
How grave thou loookest, loved one! wherefore so?
Thy marble image seems a type of thee;
Like it, no sign of life thou giv’st to me;
Compared with thee, the stone appears to glow.
Behind his shield in ambush lurks the foe,
The friend’s brow all-unruffled we should see.
I seek thee, but thou seek’st away to flee;
Fix’d as this sculptured figure, learn to grow!
Tell me, to which should I the preference pay?
Must I from both with coldness meet alone?
The one is lifeless, thou with life art blest.
In short, no longer to throw words away,
I’ll fondy kiss and kiss and kiss this stone,
Till thou dost tear me hence with envious breast.
1807.





Related poetry:
- THE TRAVELLER AND THE FARM~MAIDEN HE. CANST thou give, oh fair and matchless maiden, ‘Neath the shadow of the lindens yonder, Where I’d fain one […]...
- 13. Song-Bonie Peggy Alison Chor.-And I’ll kiss thee yet, yet, And I’ll kiss thee o’er again: And I’ll kiss thee yet, yet, My bonie […]...
- Queen Elizabeth Speaks My hands were stained with blood, my heart was Proud and cold, My soul is black with shame. . . […]...
- Soldier, Maiden, and Flower “Sweetheart, take this,” a soldier said, “And bid me brave good-by; It may befall we ne’er shall wed, But love […]...
- Simon the Cyrenian Speaks He never spoke a word to me, And yet He called my name; He never gave a sign to me, […]...
- THE WEDDING NIGHT WITHIN the chamber, far away From the glad feast, sits Love in dread Lest guests disturb, in wanton play, The […]...
- Sonnet XXXV: Some, Misbelieving To Miracle Some, misbelieving and profane in love, When I do speak of miracles by thee, May say, that thou […]...
- PROXIMITY I KNOW not, wherefore, dearest love, Thou often art so strange and coy When ‘mongst man’s busy haunts we move, […]...
- The Maiden's Lament The clouds fast gather, The forest-oaks roar A maiden is sitting Beside the green shore, The billows are breaking with […]...
- In San Lorenzo Is thine hour come to wake, O slumbering Night? Hath not the Dawn a message in thine ear? Though thou […]...
- To Memory Strange Power, I know not what thou art, Murderer or mistress of my heart. I know I’d rather meet the […]...
- The Poetry Of Life “Who would himself with shadows entertain, Or gild his life with lights that shine in vain, Or nurse false hopes […]...
- Specula When He appoints to meet thee, go thou forth – It matters not If south or north, Bleak waste or […]...
- MAIDEN WISHES WHAT pleasure to me A bridegroom would be! When married we are, They call us mamma. No need then to […]...
- The Moon Maiden's Song Sleep! Cast thy canopy Over this sleeper’s brain, Dim grow his memory, When he wake again. Love stays a summer […]...
- Affinity YOU and I have found the secret way, None can bar our love or say us nay: All the world […]...
- If I may have it, when it's dead If I may have it, when it’s dead, I’ll be contented so If just as soon as Breath is out […]...
- Fidele FEAR no more the heat o’ the sun, Nor the furious winter’s rages; Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home […]...
- Fear No More Fear no more the heat o’ the sun; Nor the furious winter’s rages, Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home […]...
- O Beauty, Passing Beauty! O beauty, passing beauty! Sweetest sweet! How can thou let me waste my youth in sighs? I only ask to […]...
- The Curse of Kehama I charm thy life, From the weapons of strife, From stone and from wood, From fire and from flood, From […]...
- Tides O patient shore, thou canst not go to meet Thy love, the restless sea, how comfortest Thou all thy loneliness? […]...
- THE REMORSE OF THE DEAD O SHADOWY Beauty mine, when thou shalt sleep In the deep heart of a black marble tomb; When thou for […]...
- I see thee clearer for the Grave I see thee clearer for the Grave That took thy face between No Mirror could illumine thee Like that impassive […]...
- Briefly It Enters, and Briefly Speaks I am the blossom pressed in a book, Found again after two hundred years. . . . I am the […]...
- Song (Go And Catch A Falling Star) Go and catch a falling star, Get with child a mandrake root, Tell me where all past years are, Or […]...
- The Kiss Returned AS WILLIAM walking with his wife was seen, A man of rank admired her lovely mien. Who gave you such […]...
- They Who Tread the Path of Labor They who tread the path of labor follow where My feet have trod; They who work without complaining, do the […]...
- Any Man Speaks I, after difficult entry through my mother’s blood And stumbling childhood (hitting my head against the world); I, intricate, easily […]...
- PRESENCE ALL things give token of thee! As soon as the bright sun is shining, Thou too wilt follow, I trust. […]...
- PRESERVATION My maiden she proved false to me; To hate all joys I soon began, Then to a flowing stream I […]...
- Sonnet 23 – Is it indeed so? If I lay here dead Is it indeed so? If I lay here dead, Wouldst thou miss any life in losing mine? And would the […]...
- Sepulchre O blessed body! Whither are thou thrown? No lodging for thee, but a cold hard stone? So many hearts on […]...
- When Bryan Speaks When Bryan speaks, the town’s a hive. From miles around, the autos drive. The sparrow chirps. The rooster crows. The […]...
- The Princess: A Medley: As thro' the land As thro’ the land at eve we went, And pluck’d the ripen’d ears, We fell out, my wife and I, […]...
- RHYMED DISTICHS RHYMED DISTICHS. [The Distichs, of which these are given as a Specimen, are about forty in number.] WHO trusts in […]...
- The Negro Speaks Of Rivers I’ve known rivers: I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human […]...
- Upon the Book and Picture of the Seraphical Saint Teresa O THOU undaunted daughter of desires! By all thy dower of lights and fires; By all the eagle in thee, […]...
- THE CHOSEN CLIFF HERE in silence the lover fondly mused on his loved one; Gladly he spake to me thus: “Be thou my […]...
- To A World-Reformer “I Have sacrificed all,” thou sayest, “that man I might succor; Vain the attempt; my reward was persecution and hate.” […]...