Poem by Louise Imogen Guiney

York Stairs

Many a musing eye returns to thee,
Against the formal street disconsolate,
Who kept in green domains thy bridal state,
With young tide-waters leaping at thy knee;
And lest the ravening smoke, and enmity
Corrode thee quite, thy lover sighs, and straight
Desires thee safe afar, too graceful gate!
Throned on a terrace of the Boboli.
Nay, nay, thy use is here. Stand queenly thus
Till the next fury; teach the time and us
Leisure and will to draw a serious breath:
Not wholly where thou art the soul is cowed,
Nor the fooled capital proclaims aloud
Barter is god, while Beauty perisheth.

1. Of Joan’s Youth
2. Spring Nightfall
3. The Vigil-at-Arms
4. Florentin
5. A Madonna of Domenico Ghirlandajo

Print

1121 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version