Read "Blodeuwedd" by Frederic Manning online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Math, upon a summer day, / Gathered blossoms of the May; / Cherry-blossom, too, which fell / On the surface of a well; / Silver froth, and foam of flowers, / Golden rays on drifting showers; / Dew, and frost, and flames of fire, / And he fashioned his desire: / Made a woman, slim and fair, / Blodeuwedd of the lovely hair.
Blodeuwedd of the shining face / Ranged the forest, with the grace / Of a forest-thing, as wild, / Wilful as a wanton child.
How could men withhold their eyes / From her? She was light, the skies, / Dawn, and dew to them. It seemed, / Looking at her, that they dreamed / All the joys of heaven had been / Hidden her twin breasts between, / Bound upon her tranquil brows / That were white as winter snows, / Hidden in her curving lips, / Folded round her flowing hips.
Yea! for them she seemed to shine / With a beauty all divine.
Blodeuwedd of the little ears / Had, alas! no gift of tears, / Had no heart at all to love, / Knew not what deep sorrows move / Through the dim ways of our heart, / Knew of mortal grief no part.
She, like sunlight through the rain, / Drifted through our world of pain, / Fed her joy with myriad kisses, / Stolen pleasures, honeyed blisses; / Then danced on her wanton way / Like a gleam of gold through gray.
Men fell, knowing they would fall, / For Math gave no heart at all.
Blodeuwedd, I have made in thee / Of my love's deep sorcery, / Even as Math made the gay / Heartless one from flowers of May, / Foam, and frost, and shining dew, / Shall I find a heart in you?