She Clothed Herself in Dreams
She Clothed Herself in Dreams
Original Text
Marjory Nicholls, Collected Poems,
comp. Niel Wright (Wellington: Original Books, 2009).
1She clothed herself in dreams all magical--
2Did ever Princess in a tale of old
3Show half so daintily and rare as she
4A lily exquisite--all white and gold?
5Or like a shadowed tree, mysterious:
6Eyes dark as pools where fallen stars do sleep;
8And hair whose strands a subtle fragrance keep.
9With little hands so white and slim, yet strong
10To take a heart and break it--willed she so--
11And moods when laughter bubbled in the throat
12And love was answered with a teasing, "No."
13She hung a silver mirror in her heart
14And in her dreams paced slowly there and smiled;
15While other shadows thronging, paid her court,
17A little smile strays on her unkissed lips.
18So drab and dull she looks, and yet it seems
19As though some pale joy lingers in her life--
20Unloved she sits, and clothes herself in dreams.
Notes
7] inscrutable: impossible to understand or interpret. Back to Line
16] beguiled: charmed or enchanted in a partly deceptive way. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1916
Publication Notes
The Spike (1916).
RPO poem Editors
Cameron La Follette
RPO Edition
2011
Rhyme
Form