The sun has kissed the violet sea,
And burned the violet to a rose.
O Sea! wouldst thou not better be
Mere violet still? Who knows? who knows?
Well hides the violet in the wood:
The dead leaf wrinkles her a hood,
And winter's ill is violet's good;
But the bold glory of the rose,
It quickly comes and quickly goes-
Red petals whirling in white snows,
Ah me!
The sun has burnt the rose-red sea:
The rose is turned to ashes gray.
O Sea, O Sea, mightst thou but be
The violet thou hast been to-day!
The sun is brave, the sun is bright,
The sun is lord of love and light;
But after him it cometh night.
Dim anguish of the lonesome dark!-
Once a girl's body, stiff and stark,
Was laid in a tomb without a mark,
Ah me!
Macon, Georgia, 1868.
Song For The Jacquerie: Betrayal
Sidney Lanier
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Poem topics: brave, dark, girl, light, night, winter, white, good, bold, bright, body, Valentine's Day, anguish, love, red, I love you, rose, sea, sun, violet, Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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