Page:Poems Ripley.djvu/36

And on the shores of the Aegean Sea,
Which circled all thy native isle and thee—
 Thy beauty-loving soul didst gaze upon
      The shells thereon—

And marvel at their tinted loveliness.—
The while, perchance, 'neath green trees' leafiness
 Thou soughtest the bath in cool, deep tideless sea,
      Thy maids and thee.

And as through spicy grove and flower-strewn glade,
Thou didst retrace thy steps—from out the shade
 Tall marble statues gleamed along thy way
      In snowy array.

And temples strewn with precious jewels and gold
And broideries, and cups of matchless mould,
 Where thou didst worship at the Pagan shrine
      Both thee and thine.

Ah, thou didst sing of love, till on thee fell
The glamour of it. Then thou didst seek to quell
 Its conquering force, because to thee it came—
      Unsought—it came.

And all thy radiant life was filled with care.—
The burden was too great for thee to bear,
 And thou didst lay aside thy golden lyre,
      Once thy desire.

Then thou didst learn the deathlessness of love,
And summoned Aphrodite from above,
 And thou didst plead with her in piteous prayer—
      With Venus fair.

What mattered wealth to thee, or world's applause?
Sweet rest thou couldst not find. Then thou didst pause
 Upon the rocks and thy bright soul didst free
      Deep in the sea.

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