Sara Teasdale

Sarah Trevor Teasdale (8 August 1884 – 29 January 1933) was an American poet.

Quotes

 * No one worth possessing Can be quite possessed.
 * Advice to a Girl, Strange Victory (1933)

Helen of Troy and Other Poems (1911)


That sparkled so the day I saw it first, And darkened slowly after. I am she Who loves all beauty — yet I wither it.
 * This is the funeral pyre and Troy is dead
 * "Helen of Troy"

Against the fate that made men love my mouth And left their spirits all too deaf to hear The little songs that echoed through my soul. I have no anger now. The dreams are done; Yet since the Greeks and Trojans would not see Aught but my body's fairness, till the end, In all the islands set in all the seas, And all the lands that lie beneath the sun, Till light turn darkness, and till time shall sleep, Men's lives shall waste with longing after me, For I shall be the sum of their desire, The whole of beauty, never seen again.
 * My dreams are over, I have ceased to cry
 * "Helen of Troy"

A boy who looked at me without a word, As tho' he saw stretch far behind my head Long lines of radiant angels, row on row. That day we spoke a little, timidly, And after that I never heard the voice That sang so many songs for love of me.
 * And as I played, a child came thro' the gate,
 * "Beatrice"

To thee, God's daughter, powerful as God, It is that thou hast made my life too sweet To hold the added sweetness of a song. There is a quiet at the heart of love, And I have pierced the pain and come to peace.
 * Ah, Aphrodite, if I sing no more
 * "Sappho"

To think upon her sorrows, but her joys What nun could ever know a tithing of? The precious hours she watched above His sleep Were worth the fearful anguish of the end. Yea, lack of love is bitterest of all.
 * We weep before the Blessed Mother's shrine,
 * "Marianna Alcoforando"

And many mouths must drain the dregs of it. But none will pity me, nor pity him Whom Love so lashed, and with such cruel thongs.
 * All this grows bitter that was once so sweet,
 * "Guenevere"

But you will not assuage him. He alone Of all the gods will take no gifts from men.
 * Make songs for Death as you would sing to Love —
 * "Erinna"

The god is bitter and will have it so.
 * I may not speak till Eros' torch is dim,
 * "Roundel"

Borne up by each wave as it passes, drawn down by each wave that recedes.
 * I would live in your love as the sea-grasses live in the sea,
 * "I Would Live in Your Love"

And cruel winter holds the land, The Love that finds no place to hide Will run and catch my hand. I shall not care to have him then, I shall be bitter and a-cold — It grows too late for frolicking When all the world is old. Then little hiding Love, come forth, Come forth before the autumn goes, And let us seek thro' ruined paths The garden's last red rose.
 * Perhaps when all the world is bare
 * "Love in Autumn"

To-night my heart is sad; His kiss was not so wonderful As all the dreams I had.
 * For tho' I know he loves me,
 * "The Kiss"

I walked in the street-lamps' flare — But oh, the girls who can ask for love In the lights of Union Square.
 * With the man I love who loves me not
 * "Union Square"

A hush is over everything — Silent as women wait for love, The world is waiting for the spring.
 * There is no sign of leaf or bud,
 * "Central Park at Dusk"

He does not guess my joy and pain, For if he did, he is too kind To ever look my way again.
 * I hope that when he smiles at me
 * "Young Love"

The purple shadows turn to brick and stone, The dreams wear thin, men turn upon their beds, And hear the milk-cart jangle by alone.
 * The greenish sky glows up in misty reds,
 * "City Vignettes, I: Dawn"

Rivers to the Sea (1915)

 * Full text online at Wikisource



Here with this beauty over me? My throat should ache with praise, and I Should kneel in joy beneath the sky. Oh, beauty are you not enough?
 * Oh, is it not enough to be
 * "Spring Night"

Why am I crying after love?
 * Oh, beauty, are you not enough?
 * "Spring Night"

When sunset burns and dies,— You are my deepening skies, Give me your stars to hold.
 * I am the pool of gold
 * "Peace"

Shakes out her rain-drenched hair, Tho' you should lean above me broken-hearted, I shall not care. I shall have peace, as leafy trees are peaceful When rain bends down the bough, And I shall be more silent and cold-hearted Than you are now.
 * When I am dead and over me bright April
 * "I Shall Not Care"

A yellow daisy to the rain; My heart will be a lovely cup Altho' it holds but pain.
 * I lift my heart as spring lifts up

For I shall learn from flower and leaf That color every drop they hold, To change the lifeless wine of grief To living gold.
 * "Alchemy"

Who loved me not at all, I owe the little open gate That led thru heaven's wall.
 * But oh, to him I loved
 * "Debt"

Faithful to love, not faithful to the lover, Never transfused and lost in what she loved, Never so wholly loving nor at peace.
 * How should they know that Sappho lived and died
 * "Sappho (Rivers to the Sea)"

I will not be a reed to hold the sound Of whatsoever breath the gods may blow, Turning my torment into music for them. They gave me life; the gift was bountiful, I lived with the swift singing strength of fire, Seeking for beauty as a flame for fuel — Beauty in all things and in every hour. The gods have given life — I gave them song; The debt is paid and now I turn to go.
 * I have grown weary of the winds of heaven.
 * "Sappho (Rivers to the Sea)"

Love Songs (1917)


All beautiful and splendid things, Blue waves whitened on a cliff, Soaring fire that sways and sings, And children's faces looking up Holding wonder like a cup.
 * Life has loveliness to sell,
 * "Barter"

Buy it and never count the cost; For one white singing hour of peace Count many a year of strife well lost, And for a breath of ecstasy Give all you have been, or could be.
 * Spend all you have for loveliness,
 * "Barter"

As women turn to put away The jewels they have worn at night And cannot wear in sober day.
 * But I will turn my eyes from you
 * "Jewels"

If none can find Him, then I shall sleep soundly, Knowing how well on earth your love sufficed me, A lamp in darkness.
 * If I can find out God, then I shall find Him,
 * "The Lamp"

Flame and Shadow (1920)


Like petals of light fallen from the moon, Broken and bright on a dark lagoon, But they float away — for who can hold Youth, or perfume or the moon's gold?
 * I try to catch at many a tune
 * "Old Tunes"

And hours that go on broken wings, A thirsty body, a tired heart And the unchanging ache of things, If I could make a single song As lovely and as full of light, As hushed and brief as a falling star On a winter night.
 * I should be glad of loneliness
 * "Compensation"

Your spirit's secret hides like gold Sunk in a Spanish galleon Ages ago in waters cold.
 * But you I never understood,
 * "Understanding"

A running tide where moonlight burned Will not sting me like silver snakes; The years will make me sad and cold, It is the happy heart that breaks.
 * It will not hurt me when I am old,
 * "Moonlight"

To give my gratefulness to you? You rise between myself and me With a wise persistency; I would have broken body and soul, But by your grace, still I am whole.
 * O lovely chance, what can I do
 * "Lovely Chance"

If mankind perished utterly; And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn, Would scarcely know that we were gone.
 * Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree
 * "There Will Come Soft Rains"

From the immense blue circle of the sea, And the soft thunder where long waves whiten — These were the same for Sappho as for me. Two thousand years — much has gone by forever, Change takes the gods and ships and speech of men — But here on the beaches that time passes over The heart aches now as then.
 * Sun-swept beaches with a light wind blowing
 * "The Unchanging"

I love you, I love you, — oh what have I That I can give you in return — Except my body after I die?
 * Oh Earth, you gave me all I have,
 * "June Night"

Bloom from the walls like climbing flowers.
 * The window-lights, myriads and myriads,
 * "Evening: New York"

On the highest peak of the tired gray world, About me only swirling snow, Above me, endless space unfurled; With earth hidden and heaven hidden, And only my own spirit's pride To keep me from the peace of those Who are not lonely, having died.
 * I am alone, as though I stood
 * "Alone"

Beauty's face continually; Feeding on her wine and bread I shall be wholly comforted, For she can make one day for me Rich as my lost eternity.
 * If I am peaceful, I shall see
 * "The Wind in the Hemlock"