| The wide Pacific waters
And the Atlantic meet.
With cries of joy they mingle,
In tides of love they greet.
Above the drowned ages
A wind of wooing blows: —
The red rose woos the lotos,
The lotos woos the rose . . .
The lotos conquered Egypt.
The rose was loved in Rome.
Great India crowned the lotos:
(Britain the rose's home).
Old China crowned the lotos,
They crowned it in Japan.
But Christendom adored the rose
Ere Christendom began . . .
The lotos speaks of slumber:
The rose is as a dart.
The lotos is Nirvana:
The rose is Mary's heart.
The rose is deathless, restless,
The splendor of our pain:
The flush and fire of labor
That builds, not all in vain. . . .
The genius of the lotos
Shall heal earth's too-much fret.
The rose, in blinding glory,
Shall waken Asia yet.
Hail to their loves, ye peoples!
Behold, a world-wind blows,
That aids the ivory lotos
To wed the red red rose!
Vachel Lindsay
Link back to the poetry tour on Sans Souci's page
(Often Vachel Lindsay painted pictures that went with his poetry. This poem and picture go together and are both by him. I plan to frame the print but in the photo it is just on my kitchen table. Do not forget to follow the links at both the title and the poet for more information. And of course follow the link back to Poetry Wednesday too!) |
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Lovely-both!
ReplyDeleteyes lovely very lovely
ReplyDeleteMary, thanks for introducing me to his work.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great poem about mixing beliefs together in the name of love. I was not familiar with this author/painter. Thanks for the introduction!
ReplyDeleteI, too, thank you for the introduction! This is a fabulous poet. I loved this piece. Thanks for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeletehttp://bostonsdandd.multiply.com/journal/item/308
I really liked both the picture and poem thank you for introducing him to us :)
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of poetry and paintings that are made to go together...............I often post poetry (other peoples) and then chose paintings to go with them and the only time I have ever been able to post the poem and the painting by the same person was with Blake..........poems of innocence..............
ReplyDeletelove this poem and matching painting by Vachel Lindsay, great page thanks.