Great Pan came to thy cradle, With calm of the deepest hills, And smiled, "They have forgotten The veriest power of life. 20
"To kindle her shapely beauty, And illumine her mind withal, I give to the little person The glowing and craving soul."
Aphrodite of the foam, Who hast given all good gifts, And made Sappho at thy will Love so greatly and so much,
Ah, how comes it my frail heart 5 Is so fond of all things fair, I can never choose between Gorgo and Andromeda?
Nay, but always and forever Like the bending yellow grain, Or quick water in a channel, Is the heart of man.
Comes the unseen breath in power 5 Like a great wind from the sea, And we bow before his coming, Though we know not why.
Let there be garlands, Dica, Around thy lovely hair. And supple sprays of blossom Twined by thy soft hands.
Whoso is crowned with flowers 5 Has favour with the gods, Who have no kindly eyes For the ungarlanded.
When the Cretan maidens Dancing up the full moon Round some fair new altar, Trample the soft blossoms of fine grass,
There is mirth among them. 5 Aphrodite's children Ask her benediction On their bridals in the summer night.
In a dream I spoke with the Cyprus-born, And said to her, "Mother of beauty, mother of joy, Why hast thou given to men
"This thing called love, like the ache of a wound 5 In beauty's, side, To burn and throb and be quelled for an hour And never wholly depart?"
And the daughter of Cyprus said to me, "Child of the earth, 10 Behold, all things are born and attain, But only as they desire,---
"The sun that is strong, the gods that are wise, The loving heart, Deeds and knowledge and beauty and joy,-- 15 But before all else was desire."
Sleep thou in the bosom Of the tender comrade, While the living water Whispers in the well-run, And the oleanders 5 Glimmer in the moonlight.
Soon, ah, soon the shy birds Will be at their fluting, And the morning planet Rise above the garden; 10 For there is a measure Set to all things mortal.
Hesperus, bringing together All that the morning star scattered,--
Sheep to be folded in twilight, Children for mothers to fondle,--
Me too will bring to the dearest, 5 Tenderest breast in all Lesbos.
In the grey olive-grove a small brown bird Had built her nest and waited for the spring. But who could tell the happy thought that came To lodge beneath my scarlet tunic's fold?