Before The Statue Of Endymion
I have come from Miletos to Latmos
on a white chariot drawn by four snow-white mules,
all their trappings silver.
I sailed from Alexandria in a purple trireme
to perform sacred rites—
sacrifices and libations—in honor of Endymion.
And here is the statue. I now gaze in ecstasy
at Endymion's famous beauty.
My slaves empty baskets of jasmine
and auspicious tributes revive the pleasure of ancient days.
poem by Constantine P. Cavafy
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Loon Point
Softly the water ripples
Against the canoe's curving side,
Softly the birch trees rustle
Flinging over us branches wide.
Softly the moon glints and glistens
As the water takes and leaves,
Like golden ears of corn
Which fall from loose-bound sheaves,
Or like the snow-white petals
Which drop from an overblown rose,
When Summer ripens to Autumn
And the freighted year must close.
From the shore come the scents of a garden,
And between a gap in the trees
A proud white statue glimmers
In cold, disdainful ease.
The child of a southern people,
The thought of an alien race,
What does she in this pale, northern garden,
How reconcile it with her grace?
But the moon in her wayward beauty
Is ever and always the same,
As lovely as when upon Latmos
She watched till Endymion came.
Through the water the moon writes her legends
In light, on the smooth, wet sand;
They endure for a moment, and vanish,
And no one may understand.
All round us the secret of Nature
Is telling itself to our sight,
We may guess at her meaning but never
Can know the full mystery of night.
But her power of enchantment is on us,
We bow to the spell which she weaves,
Made up of the murmur of waves
And the manifold whisper of leaves.
poem by Amy Lowell
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Of the Jews (50 A.D.)
Painter and poet, runner and discus-thrower,
beautiful as Endymion: Ianthis, son of Antony.
From a family on friendly terms with the Synagogue.
"My most valuable days are those
when I give up the pursuit of sensuous beauty,
when I desert the elegant and severe cult of Hellenism,
with its over-riding devotion
to perfectly shaped, corruptible white limbs,
and become the man I would want to remain forever:
son of the Jews, the holy Jews."
A most fervent declaration on his part: "...to remain forever
a son of the Jews, the holy Jews."
But he did not remain anything of the kind.
The Hedonism and Art of Alexandria
kept him as their dedicated son.
poem by Constantine P. Cavafy
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Sonnet I
Oft had I felt, like pure Endymion,
Such love for the sweet moon, that I had well
Believed her able on earth to love and dwell
With whatso man she set her love upon;
But as I wandered once when day was done
Beside the murmuring, moon-lit ocean-swell,
Sudden thy silent beauty on me shone,
Fair as the moon had give thee all her spell.
Then, as Endymion had found on earth,
In unchanged beauty but in fashion changed,
Her whom I loved so long; so felt I then,
Not that a new love in my heart had birth,
But that the old, that far from reach had ranged,
Was now on earth, and to be loved of men.
poem by Francis William Bourdillon
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Snow White Kisses
Snow White Kisses
Snow White Kisses
My purple sky hang over me
My purple sky fly over me
Snow White dreams of frolics in the forest
Wanting day to last the whole life time
She remembers dwarves so fine attentive
She remembers drinks of draughts of fruit and vine
She lay down for final time and then upon awakening
The Gragon fly attend ewe Snow White kisses
Purple kisses mounted on her prose
Purple kisses to the breathtaking lady sleeping
mentioning a few more million in her dreaming
meaning to remain in realm of hiding
she is found in soft repose alarmingly cold
until my kisses bring her love.
poem by Charles Hice
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Keats
The young Endymion sleeps Endymion's sleep;
The shepherd-boy whose tale was left half told!
The solemn grove uplifts its shield of gold
To the red rising moon, and loud and deep
The nightingale is singing from the steep;
It is midsummer, but the air is cold;
Can it be death? Alas, beside the fold
A shepherd's pipe lies shattered near his sheep.
Lo! in the moonlight gleams a marble white,
On which I read: "Here lieth one whose name
Was writ in water." And was this the meed
Of his sweet singing? Rather let me write:
"The smoking flax before it burst to flame
Was quenched by death, and broken the bruised reed."
poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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To Songs At the Marriage Of The Lord Fauconberg And The Lady Mary Cromwell
song Fauc1
First.
[Chorus. Endymion. Luna.]
Chorus.
Th' Astrologers own Eyes are set,
And even Wolves the Sheep forget;
Only this Shepherd, late and soon,
Upon this Hill outwakes the Moon.
Heark how he sings, with sad delight,
Thorough the clear and silent Night.
Endymion
Cynthia, O Cynthia, turn thine Ear,
nor scorn Endymions plaints to hear.
As we our Flocks, so you command
The fleecy Clouds with silver wand.
Cynthia
If thou a Mortal, rather sleep;
Or if a Shepherd, watch thy Sheep.
Endmymion
The Shepherd, since he saw thine Eyes,
And Sheep are both thy Sacrifice.
Nor merits he a Mortal's name,
That burns with an immortal Flame.
Cynthia
I have enough for me to do,
Ruling the Waves that Ebb and Flow.
Endymion
Since thou disdain'st not then to share
On Sublunary things thy Care;
Rather restrain these double Seas,
Mine Eyes uncessant deluges.
Cynthia
My wakeful Lamp all night must move,
Securing their Repose above.
Endymion
If therefore thy resplendent Ray
Can make a Night more bright then Day;
Shine thorough this obscurer Brest,
With shades of deep Despair opprest.
Chorus.
Courage, Endymion, boldly Woo,
Anchises was a Shepheard too:
Yet is her younger Sister laid
Sporting with him in Ida's shade:
And Cynthia, though the strongest,
Seeks but the honour to have held out longest.
Endymion
Here unto Latmos Top I climbe:
How far below thine Orbe sublime?
O why, as well as Eyes to see,
Have I not Armes that reach to thee?
Cynthia
'Tis needless then that I refuse,
Would you but your own Reason use.
Endymion
Though I so high may not pretend,
It is the same so you descend.
Cynthia
These Stars would say I do them wrong,
Rivals each one for thee too strong.
Endymion
The Stars are fix'd unto their Sphere,
And cannot, though they would, come near.
Less Loves set of each others praise,
While Stars Eclypse by mixing Rayes.
Cynthia
That Cave is dark.
Endymion
Then none can spy:
Or shine Thou there and 'tis the Sky.
Chorus.
Joy to Endymion,
For he has Cynthia's favour won.
And Jove himself approves
With his serenest influence their Loves.
For he did never love to pair
His Progeny above the Air;
But to be honest, valiant, wise,
Makes Mortals matches fit for Deityes.
song Fauc2
Second Song.
[Hobbinol. Phillis. Tomalin.]
Hobbinol
Phillis, Tomalin, away:
Never such a merry day.
For the Northern Shepheards Son
Has Menalca's daughter won.
Phillis
Stay till I some flow'rs ha'ty'd
In a Garland for the Bride.
Tomalin
If Thou would'st a Garland bring,
Philiis you may wait the Spring:
They ha' chosen such an hour
When She is the only flow'r.
Phillis
Let's not then at least be seen
Without each a Sprig of Green.
Hobbinol
Fear not; at Menalca's Hall
There is Bayes enough for all.
He when Young as we did graze,
But when Old he planted Bayes.
Tomalin
Here She comes; but with a Look
Far more catching then my Hook.
'Twas those Eyes, I now dare swear,
Led our Lambs we knew not where.
Hobbinol
Not our Lambs own Fleeces are
Curl'd so lovely as her Hair:
Nor our Sheep new Wash'd can be
Half so white or sweet as She.
Phillis
He so looks as fit to keep
Somewhat else then silly Sheep.
Hobbinol
Come, lets in some Carol new
Pay to Love and Them their due.
All.
Joy to that happy Pair,
Whose Hopes united banish our Despair.
What Shepheard could for Love pretend,
Whil'st all the Nymphs on Damon's choice attend?
What Shepherdess could hope to wed
Before Marina's turn were sped?
Now lesser Beauties may take place,
And meaner Virtues come in play;
While they,
Looking from high,
Shall grace
Our Flocks and us with a propitious Eye.
But what is most, the gentle Swain
No more shall need of Love complain;
But Virtue shall be Beauties hire,
And those be equal that have equal Fire.
Or who despair, now Damon does enjoy?
Marina yields. Who dares be coy?
Joy to that happy Pair,
Whose Hopes united banish our Despair.
poem by Andrew Marvell
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When Someone Says: "Alexandria"
When someone says: "Alexandria,"
I see the white walls of a house,
a small garden row of gillyflowers,
an autumn evening's pale sunlight
and hear the music of distant flutes.
When someone says: "Alexandria,"
I see stars above the hushed city,
drunken sailors in dark quarters,
a dancing girl performing the "wasp,"
and hear tambourines and the noise of fights.
When someone says "Alexandria,"
I see a pale purple sunset above the green sea,
the flickering of furry stars
and the light grey eyes beneath thick brows
that I see even when
no one says: "Alexandria!"
poem by Mikhail Alekseevich Kuzmin
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Velvet Shoes
Let us walk in the white snow
In a soundless space;
With footsteps quiet snd slow,
At a tranquil pace,
Under veils of white lace.
I shall go shod in silk,
And you in wool,
White as white cow's milk,
More beautiful
Than the breast of a gull.
We shall walk through the still town
In a windless peace;
We shall step upon white down,
Upon silver fleece,
Upon softer than these.
We shall walk in velvet shoes:
Wherever we go
Silence will fall like dews
On white silence below.
We shall walk in the snow.
poem by Elinor Morton Wylie
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Ancient Recall
Ancient days that are all gone
I never had the chance to look upon.
I've heard of them.
I've read of them.
So why do I feel drawn
to these ancient times
That I do not know?
They are fascinating
and I can't let them go.
Days of horse-drawn carriages
and dresses that reach to the floor,
Nights lit up by lanterns,
Seclusion near a sycamore,
Music played by string quartets,
beautiful music by four.
I visualize all these things.
Have I lived this life before?
Somewhere from this vast universe
I hear a somber voice.
It speaks to me in sad remembrance
and says to me 'Rejoice.
All the days were your choice.
Enjoy them as you did in the past
for these too shall not last.
You will be drawn some day to them,
fascinated once more
by days that you'll call ancient,
ancient days of yore.'
poem by Edwina Reizer
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Time Is A Revealer
that early morning when the dews
are pearls on the leaves
you appear
as a lovely brown woman with tight skin
too naive even for a white rose
more innocent than twilight
i was speechless like the grass
i was sprawled and all of me looked up
the coming of the skies
the sun comes up like a chariot of fire
that is how they name what god was there
i am amazed with what is going on
someone is riding on a horse and charging
someone is taken away but not crying
someone says, well, this is nothing but a circus
there is no abduction since the beloved was too willing
to be taken as a hostage of ecstasy
then there is the time for surrender
the white rose wilted and all its petals lay crushed on the grass
i was the grass sprawled on the sun
the skies all shut
the chariot pass that way and the horses fade like a mirage
then you lay there alone
your skin too loose, in fact, hanging on your bones
your teeth are no longer white as pearls
no dews on your lips
you are alone now and you wish for death
meanwhile, there is only darkness there is so much silence
my heart so empty my mouth utters a word
how can i ever forget your name
you too fade like time like a betrayal
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Black and White (Stream XV)
I have black thoughts,
It is a black day,
A day when the black dog
Coal black, hovers at my shoulder.
I shoulder the burden.
Deep in the black hole.
Black as a black hearted night.
Negative.
Stark.
Black and white.
I do not call my good days white days.
Why?
Or have white thoughts
On a white day,
When the white dog
Pure white sits upon my shoulder.
Which is unburdened.
Out of the pit,
Luxuriating in the bright white light;
White as the purest snow.
Positive.
For we live in a too white world
Maybe we should have grey days,
And light days.
Why should Black be negative and White poitive?
For me then, today is a grey day.
Maybe tomorrow will be a light day.
Copyright P H Brookes 2012
poem by Paul Brookes
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Snow White: Sonnet 3
Snow White and the dwarfs
Did a line of Sugar Boogers
While sitting in the forest
Which was full of Candy Sugars
Snow White took an apple
Which was filled with Gin
She drank it down with Snow filled Snapple
And fell on a big, fat pin
This is why Snow White lies
Under the Big C
From now on in the sky she flies
Over the Mojo key
Snow White died in vain
Because she did a lot of Cocaine
(4/4/07)
poem by Stacey Gibbs
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Snowlight
Snow
spirit of water
remove the dust
purify a wilderness
brighten all the world
with a white light
Snow-white Clouds
leaning close to the refreshing breeze
embraced by the blue sky
pursuing the wings of light, flying high
whence the profoundity of the Universe
immortal legends told through the years
A ripe fruit
from a vernal flower
left behind on the tree
confronting a wintry chill
wearing a hat of white snow
insulated from the freeze
seasonal energy accumulated within
a dormant seed in the dark
the persistence of a new-born
poem by Jasmine Zhang
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Snowy evening
Snowy evening
Snow filling the ground
Turning the city into white
She, in a bright red dress
Walking slowly, enjoying
Her walk in the snowy evening
Towards the Fence of the garden!
Greenaries of the garden
Now in white shades
With frozen drops of ice
Covering the grass
Every little bush
Like a cotton plant
Making a lovely sense!
Few snow flakes in her hands
To taste the pretty white snow
She opens her mouth
Awesome beauty with a white perl
In hand towards her mouth
With more innocence
Trees and bushes covered with snow
Wonders if she is pretty
Or the snow fall is pretty
Unexpressed silence persists
In the garden
Till the beauty
Went down the street!
poem by Archana Prabahar
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Simplocity appeals to me for M lady Catrina
All I can see from my window.
A vast expanse of fallen snow,
Unmarked as yet by wheel or feet
As perfect as a laundered sheet.
Reflecting back the pale moonlight
in shades of silver blue and white.
This will not last it cannot do
it will marred by tyre and shoe.
At first light when the morning breaks
and all the sleeping world awakes
To make their way reluctantly
to office shop and factory.
Although the falling snow has stopped
the temperature still has not dropped
The snow will turn from white to gray
and very slowly melt away
Just for tonight the pristine white
will satisfy my appetite
for unadorned simplicity
There’s beauty in austerity.
22-Dec-08
http: // blog.myspace.com/poeticpiers
poem by Ivor Or Ivor.e Hogg
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In The Garden V: A Summer Moon
QUEEN-MOON of this enchanted summer night,
One virgin slave companioning thee,--I lie
Vacant to thy possession as this sky
Conquer'd and calm'd by thy rejoicing might;
Swim down through my heart's deep, thou dewy bright
Wanderer of heaven, till thought must faint and die,
And I am made all thine inseparably,
Resolv'd into the dream of thy delight.
Ah no! the place is common for her feet,
Not here, not here,--beyond the amber mist,
And breadths of dusky pine, and shining lawn,
And unstirr'd lake, and gleaming belts of wheat,
She comes upon her Latmos, and has kiss'd
The sidelong face of blind Endymion.
poem by Edward Dowden
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Ecstasy
They call you ecstasy
Nothing ever sticks to you
Not velcro, not scotch tape
Not my arms dipped in glue
Not if I wrap myself in nylon
A piece of duct tape down my back
Love pierced the arrow with the twelve
And I cant get you back
Ah, ecstasy
Ecstasy
Ah, ecstasy
Across the streets an old ford, they took off its wheels
The engine is gone
In its seat sits a box
With a note that says, goodbye charlie, thanks a lot
I see a child through a window with a bib
And I think of us and what we almost did
The hudson rocketing with light
The ships pass the statue of liberty at night
They call it ecstasy, ah
Ecstasy
Ecstasy, ah
Ecstasy
Some men call me st. ivory
Some call me st. maurice
Im smooth as alabaster
With white veins runnin through my cheeks
A big stud through my eyebrow
A scar on my arm that says, domain
I put it over the tattoo
That contained your name
They called you ecstasy, ecstasy
Ecstasy
They call you ecstasy, ecstasy
Ecstasy
The moon passing through a cloud
A body facing up is floating towards a crowd
And I think of a time and what I couldnt do
I couldnt hold you close, I couldnt, I couldnt become you
They call you ecstasy, I cant hold you down
I cant hold you up
I feel like that car that I saw today, no radio
No engine, no hood
Im going to the cafe, I hope theyve got music
And I hope that they can play
But if we have to part
Ill have a new scar right over my heart
Ill call it ecstasy
Oh, ecstasy, ecstasy
Ecstasy
Ecstasy, ecstasy
Ecstasy
song performed by by Lou Reed
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Birch
The white birch is covered
All with snow veil,
As with silver, rather,
Outside my dwell.
On the fluffy boughs,
With the snow lace
There appeared flowers
On the white hoar dress.
And the birch is staying
In the quiet dream,
As the gold, the snowflakes
Are sparkling in the peace.
And the dawn, so lazily
Going around,
Sprinkles the new silver
On the lacy boughs.
poem by Sergei Yesenin, translated by Lyudmila Purgina
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Strong Chill Of Winter
A strong chill of winter
has grasped this country,
the toll of its bitter cold
has the ground covered
in a blanket of thick snow
the fog is lingering over
the thick blanket of snow
dragging down the hope
that the snow is going
to go
in a desprete gaze
i looked out into
the haze of white
but i all i got to see
was the endless amount
of white
poem by Shane Nolan
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The Moon of Myths
the ruby red in
october
the crystally white in
feburary
as the winds blow across the night time skies
the moon becomes shurrded in the mist of
may
a round dimond pearl
shining above the citites ans towns
looking down at the few
who still belive that big silver thing
is the ruler of night
and still has a few more ancient mysteries to solve
honor the moon
for it's more than just a big white shiny rock
what few know is
the moon holds your life in
it's craters
poem by Unknown To Mind
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