For works with similar titles, see Piety.

Published in Mandragora (1917)

572381PietyJohn Cowper Powys

PIETY

OH liquid moon that silvers the rims
   Of the mountain heights,
Oh lotus-flower that floats and swims
   In the island nights.
Oh pale white arms that are stretched to me
   With a siren's song,
I answer the spell of your witchery;
   I come! I come!

Wait but awhile, oh white, white arms,
   Wait but awhile.
I feel your power and I want your charms;
   I need your guile.
Let me but plant one red, red rose
   On my true Love's tomb,
Then your tide shall bear me wherever it flows.
   I come! I come!

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.


The longest-living author of this work died in 1963, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 60 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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