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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SEARCH, by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS First Line: I have a dress woven of rose and gold Last Line: And it died. | |||
I have a dress woven of rose and gold, And glinting jewels in my hair: And yet my mirror shows Only a shade In grey. My garden lies beneath the summer moon Like Danae to the rain of gold: The softest airs are there -- Why is the moon So cold? I saw a mountain towering silently; I saw two swallows swiftly fly; I saw a nun at prayer: All these look up -- And I? I went into the forest, and I found A flower's perfume lingering: Upon the ground were petals Trampled down And broken. I passed among a crowd of moving men. Their eyes were unalight, their hands Reached out for unknown aid: What do you seek? I said. I looked along white faces in a temple. It seemed they came together there Better to hide in praise Each one a secret Prayer. My feet are fleet to carry me away: But when I ask who follows me, There comes a silent answer, Go no further -- It is I. I heard ecstatic music in a church -- Te Deums mounting high and clear: If all that sound were true, There must be God To hear. I saw them putting candles by an altar, And all that holy place was bright. I put my candle there -- Why did it shed No light? I heard the ocean crying to the night, And looked to see if God were there. Till dawning day I watched: Oh tell me, where Is God? I saw, against the white of winter snow, The blackened stalks of summer flowers Bending above the footprints Of a girl who dreamed Of love. Pictures there are and music and the dance, And books, and multitudes of things: So many thoughts sent forth. And each one says, I want! Philosophers are wise, I said, and searched Great golden books, but only found In every learned line A wistfulness Like mine. I looked and saw not one familiar face: And yet I called, O Brother, Brother! And many an answer came In greeting to Another. . . . . . . . . . . . From my dim hope I made a prayer with wings. Out through the void it flew and cried, Beating upon the Silence. Silence answered -- And it died. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SEVEN SAD SONNETS: 2. THE OTHER ONE COMES TO HER by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS SEVEN SAD SONNETS: 3. THE WANDERING ONE by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS SEVEN SAD SONNETS: 4. SHE REMEMBERS by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS SEVEN SAD SONNETS: 5. SHE THINKS OF THE FAITHFUL ONE by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS SEVEN SAD SONNETS: 6. THE WANDERING ONE MAKES MUSIC by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS SEVEN SAD SONNETS: 7. THEY MEET AGAIN by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS THE SISTERS by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS TO ONE WHO ASKS by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS TO MARY CHURCH TERRELL - LECTURER by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON THE SEEDLING by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR THE UNSUNG HEROES by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR ON THE MORNING OF CHRIST'S NATIVITY: THE HYMN by JOHN MILTON |
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