Bartlett's Poems for Occasions

GEORGE MEREDITH ENGLISH (1828-1909) Departure visible sufficient. The imaginative and prescient used to be met with in each air. Had adequate. Sounds of towns, within the night and within the sunlight and continuously. recognized sufficient. Life’s halts. —O Sounds and Visions! Departure in new affection and new noise. ARTHUR RIMBAUD FRENCH (1854-1891) TRANSLATED by means of LOUISE VARèSE Ithaka As you place out for Ithaka wish the voyage is an extended one, jam-packed with experience, choked with discovery. Laistrygonians and Cyclops, offended Poseidon—don’t be fearful of them: you’ll by no means locate such things as that in your manner so long as you retain your ideas raised excessive, so long as an extraordinary pleasure stirs your spirit and your physique. Laistrygonians and Cyclops, wild Poseidon—you won’t stumble upon them except you deliver them alongside inside of your soul, until your soul units them up in entrance of you. wish the voyage is an extended one. might there be many a summer season morning while, with what excitement, what pleasure, you return into harbors noticeable for the 1st time; may perhaps you cease at Phoenician buying and selling stations to shop for high-quality issues, mom of pearl and coral, amber and ebony, sensual body spray of each style — as many sensual perfumes as you could; and will you stopover at many Egyptian towns to collect shops of information from their students. retain Ithaka consistently on your brain. Arriving there's what you're destined for. yet don't hurry the adventure in any respect. higher if it lasts for years, so that you are previous by the point you succeed in the island, filthy rich with all you've got received at the manner, now not looking ahead to Ithaka to make you wealthy. Ithaka gave you the extraordinary trip. with out her you wouldn't have set out. She has not anything left to provide you presently. And when you locate her bad, Ithaka won’t have fooled you. clever as you've got develop into, so packed with adventure, you have understood by means of then what those Ithakas suggest. C. P. CAVAFY GREEK (1863-1933) TRANSLATED through EDMUND KEELEY AND PHILIP SHERRARD Passer Mortuus Est dying devours all attractive issues; Lesbia together with her sparrow stocks the darkness,—presently each mattress is slim. Unremembered as outdated rain Dries the sheer libation, And the little petulant hand Is an annotation. finally, my erstwhile pricey, My now not loved, desire we are saying it was once no longer love, Now that love is perished? EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY AMERICAN (1892-1950) Parting present i will not provide the Metropolitan Tower; i will not provide you with heaven; Nor the 9 Visigoth crowns within the Cluny Museum; Nor happiness, even. yet i will offer you a truly small handbag made from field-mouse epidermis, With a painted photo of the universe and 7 blue tears therein. i will not provide the island of Capri; i will not provide you with good looks; Nor bake you marvellous crusty cherry pies With love and accountability. yet i will provide you with a truly little locket produced from wildcat cover: placed it into your left-hand pocket and not glance within. ELINOR WYLIE AMERICAN (1885-1928) cease all of the clocks, bring to an end the phone cease all of the clocks, bring to a halt the phone, hinder the puppy from barking with a juicy bone, Silence the pianos and with muffled drum convey out the coffin, allow the mourners come.