Fire and Sleet and Candlelight

by

Elinor Wylie


For this you've striven

Daring, to fail:

Your sky is riven

Like a tearing veil.


For this, you've wasted

Wings of your youth;

Divined, and tasted

Bitter springs of truth.


From sand unslakèd

Twisted strong cords,

And wandering naked

Among trysted swords.


There's a word unspoken,

A knot untied.

Whatever is broken

The earth may hide.


The road was jagged

Over sharp stones:

Your body's too ragged

To cover your bones.


The wind scatters

Tears upon dust;

Your soul's in tatters

Where the spears thrust.



Go Back