“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.”