O Aphrodite by Bliss Carman (1925)
O Aphrodite is a poem written by Bliss Carman in 1903. The poem explores the themes of love, beauty, and the fleeting nature of life. It is written in a lyrical style, with a focus on the sound and rhythm of the words. The speaker of the poem addresses Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, and reflects on the transience of human existence. The poem concludes with the lines "And so we live, and so we die, / And in between, we ask why."
By Bliss Carman · First published 1925 · Genre: Poetry, Mythology, Romantic · 266 words
First lines
O Aphrodite, / God-born and deathless, / Break not my spirit / With bitter anguish: / Thou wilful empress, / I pray thee, hither!
As once aforetime / Well thou didst hearken / To my voice far off, -- / Listen, and leaving / Thy father's golden / House in yoked chariot,
Come, thy fleet sparrows / Beating the mid-air / Over the dark earth. / Suddenly near me, / Smiling, immortal, / Thy bright regard asked
What had befallen, -- / Why I had called thee, -- / What my mad heart then / Most was desiring. / "What fair thing wouldst thou / Lure now to love thee?
What this Textopian page supports
O Aphrodite is listed on Textopian as a poem by Bliss Carman, dated 1925 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Bliss Carman
- Date: 1925 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Mythology, Romantic
- Length: 266 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for O Aphrodite by Bliss Carman
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Similar titles
- The Living Flame by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- Her Praise by W. B. Yeats
- La Beatrice by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- Aphrodite by George William Russell
- Desire by George William Russell
- The Silence Of Love by George William Russell
Genres
- Poetry — Bliss Carman was known for his poetry and 'O Aphrodite' is a poem amongst his works which enshrines his style of romantic and nature-oriented lyricism.
- Mythology — The title 'O Aphrodite' refers directly to the Greek goddess Aphrodite, implicating the theme of Greek mythology and its impact on human nature in the poem.
- Romantic — The use of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, indicates romantic themes, as Carman often explored love and desire in his poems.
Tags
love · beauty · mythology · poetry · romance · nature · desire · feminine · goddess · sensuality · emotion · art