Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE WHITE PEACOCK, by STUART MERRILL Poet's Biography First Line: The white peacock in the blue night crying Last Line: To the white peacock in the azure night. Subject(s): Birds; Peacocks | ||||||||
The white peacock in the blue night crying Feels that the breeze pale cherry-blossoms spills Upon his tail; and, dolorously sighing, The fountains' water that the midnight chills, Where in the park the glades with mist are veiled, Its many-coloured marble basius fills; From distant city alleys is exhaled To breathe upon our brow this amorous breeze, With hint of lips uncertain, passion-paled; And the rich perfume of round orange-trees, Which in their jars of terra-cotta deck And edge the perron's balusters; and these Whisperings that wild-calm silence comes to check, Shiverings of leaves, and dreams of birds, or cries Of nymphs who feel a Faun's breath on their neck; Or, as a wordless melody will rise Upon her lips who spins the threaded wheel, A song that to the reeds the forest sighs, -- All tells me now that where white flowers reveal The black sward's softness over-starring it, The Princess with the mad hands soon will steal, And I shall see her like a phantom flit, And sit down at the ancient statue's base Which figures Love and Hope, and, in a fit Of passion, like a prostitute, her lace, And gold brocade, and broidered jewels tear From off her raiment, till, with jealous face, Naked, arising in her russet hair, She tramples on her trail, and, pale with spite, Throws all her finery to the peacock there, To the white peacock in the azure night. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...COLD BEFORE DAWN' by KENNETH REXROTH THE PEACOCK OF JAVA by WILLIAM JAY SMITH THE PEACOCK FEATHERS by NATHALIA CRANE THE PEACOCK by SCOTTIE MCKENZIE FRASIER ALCIDA: VERSES by ROBERT GREENE SPUMA DAL MARE (ON THE LATIN COAST) by WILLIAM SHARP NOT THE BIRD by JOSEPH SKIPSEY THE SWAN AND THE PEACOCK by CHARLES TENNYSON TURNER AGAINST THY KNEES by STUART MERRILL BALLADE OF THE CHINESE LOVER by STUART MERRILL BALLADE OF THE OUTCASTS: THE ENVOY OF THE OUTCASTS by STUART MERRILL |
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