Hyacinths
Hyacinths
Leda, they say, once found an eggHidden under hyacinths......much whiter than an egg...SapphoDid she pluck it from the curly flowers;Make a nestOf her long light hair?Or did she slip the white thing in her breast,As smooth, as fair?Lie smiling through the hours?(Proudly awareOf tiny flutterings,Knowing wellWhat she guarded there,Hidden within the shell!)Did she dream of powerful white wingsThat beat upon her like a milky tide—Again—again—?Did she swoon beneath a dream of hyacinths?And then,Did the shell open wideUnder her crying kiss?I with children at my side,Ponder so on this.
Leda, they say, once found an eggHidden under hyacinths......much whiter than an egg...SapphoDid she pluck it from the curly flowers;Make a nestOf her long light hair?Or did she slip the white thing in her breast,As smooth, as fair?Lie smiling through the hours?(Proudly awareOf tiny flutterings,Knowing wellWhat she guarded there,Hidden within the shell!)Did she dream of powerful white wingsThat beat upon her like a milky tide—Again—again—?Did she swoon beneath a dream of hyacinths?And then,Did the shell open wideUnder her crying kiss?I with children at my side,Ponder so on this.
Leda, they say, once found an egg
Hidden under hyacinths...
...much whiter than an egg...Sappho
...much whiter than an egg...
Sappho
Did she pluck it from the curly flowers;Make a nestOf her long light hair?
Did she pluck it from the curly flowers;
Make a nest
Of her long light hair?
Or did she slip the white thing in her breast,As smooth, as fair?Lie smiling through the hours?(Proudly awareOf tiny flutterings,Knowing wellWhat she guarded there,Hidden within the shell!)
Or did she slip the white thing in her breast,
As smooth, as fair?
Lie smiling through the hours?
(Proudly aware
Of tiny flutterings,
Knowing well
What she guarded there,
Hidden within the shell!)
Did she dream of powerful white wingsThat beat upon her like a milky tide—Again—again—?Did she swoon beneath a dream of hyacinths?
Did she dream of powerful white wings
That beat upon her like a milky tide—
Again—again—?
Did she swoon beneath a dream of hyacinths?
And then,Did the shell open wideUnder her crying kiss?
And then,
Did the shell open wide
Under her crying kiss?
I with children at my side,Ponder so on this.
I with children at my side,
Ponder so on this.