Explore "A Sleet-Storm in May" by Madison Cawein on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
/ On southern winds shot through with amber light, / Breathing soft balm and clothed in cloudy white, / The lily-fingered Spring came o'er the hills, / Waking the crocus and the daffodils. / O'er the cold Earth she breathed a tender sigh -- / The maples sang and flung their banners high, / Their crimson-tasselled pennons, and the elm / Bound his dark brows with a green-crested helm. / Beneath the musky rot of Autumn's leaves, / Under the forest's myriad naked eaves, / Life woke and rose in gold and green and blue, / Robed in the starlight of the twinkling dew. / With timid tread adown the barren wood / Spring held her way, when, lo! before her stood / White-mantled Winter wagging his white head, / Stormy his brow and stormily he said: / 'The God of Terror, and the King of Storm, / Must I remind thee how my iron arm / Raised my red standards 'mid these conquered bowers, / Turning their green to crimson? -- Thou, with flowers, / Thou wouldst supplant me! nay! usurp my throne! -- / Audacious one! ' -- And at her breast he tossed / A bitter javelin of ice and frost; / And left her lying on th' unfeeling mould.
/ The fragile blossoms, gathered in the fold / Of her warm bosom, fell in desolate rows / About her beauty, and, like fragrant snows, / Covered her lovely hands and beautiful feet, / Or on her lips lay like last kisses sweet / That died there. Lilacs, musky of the May, / And bluer violets and snowdrops lay / Entombed in crystal, icy dim and fair, / Like teardrops scattered in her heavenly hair.