An Anemone

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"Teach me the wisdom of thy beauty, pray,
  That, being thus wise, I may aspire to see
  What beauty is, whence, why, and in what way
  Immortal, yet how mortal utterly:
  For, shrinking loveliness, thy brow of day
  Pleads plaintive as a prayer, anemone.

  "Teach me wood-wisdom, I am petulant:
  Thou hast the wildness of a Dryad's eyes,
  The shyness of an Oread's, wild plant:--
  Behold the bashful goddess where she lies
  Distinctly delicate!--inhabitant
  Ambrosial-earthed, star-cousin of the skies.

  "Teach me thy wisdom, for, thro' knowing, yet,
  When I have drunk dull Lethe till each vein
  Thuds full oblivion, I shall not forget;--
  For beauty known is beauty; to sustain
  Glad memories with life, while mad regret
  And sorrow perish, being Lethe slain."

  "Teach thee my beauty being beautiful
  And beauty wise?--My slight perfections, whole
  As world, as man, in their creation full
  As old a Power's cogitation roll.
  Teach thee?--Presumption! thought is young and dull--
  Question thy God what God is, soul what soul."

© Madison Julius Cawein