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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
AN OPIUM FANTASY, by MARIA WHITE LOWELL Poet's Biography First Line: Soft hangs the opiate in the brain Last Line: "ring into golden bowls." Subject(s): Drugs & Drug Abuse; Fantasy; Narcotics; Opium; Cocaine; Crack; Heroin | |||
Soft hangs the opiate in the brain, And lulling soothes the edge of pain, Till harshest sound, far off or near, Sings floating in its mellow sphere. What wakes me from my heavy dream? Or am I still asleep? Those long and soft vibrations seem A slumberous charm to keep. The graceful play, a moment stopped, Distance again unrolls, Like silver balls, that, softly dropped, Ring into golden bowls. I question of the poppies red, The fairy flaunting band, While I weed, with drooping head, Within their phalanx stand. "Some airy one, with scarlet cap, The name unfold to me Of this new minstrel, who can lap Sleep in his melody?" Bright grew their scarlet-kerchiefed heads, As freshening winds had blown, And from their gently swaying beds They sang in undertone, "Oh, he is but a little owl, The smallest of his kin, Who sits beneath the midnight's cowl, And makes this airy din." "Deceitful tongues, of fiery tints, Far more than this you know, -- That he is your enchanted prince, Doomed as an owl to go; "Nor his fond play for years hath stopped, But nightly he unrolls His silver balls, that, softly dropped, Ring into golden bowls." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...GREEN SEES THINGS IN WAVES by AUGUST KLEINZAHLER WITH A BOTTLE OF BLUE NUN TO ALL MY FRIENDS by MADELINE DEFREES NEAR THE BRIDGE OF SAINT-CLOUD; AFTER ROUSSEAU by NORMAN DUBIE THE BUS STOPPED IN FIELDS OF MISDEMEANOR by NORMAN DUBIE |
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