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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MIRAGE OF THE DESERT, by EDGAR LEE MASTERS Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Well, there's the brazier set by the temple door Last Line: But never the desert's spectre, cup of love! | |||
Well, there's the brazier set by the temple door: Blue flames run over the coals and flicker through. There are cool spaces of sky between white clouds -- But what are flames and spaces but eyes of blue? And there's the harp on which great fingers play Of gods who touch the wires, dreaming infinite things: And there's a soul that wanders out when called By a voice afar from the answering strings. And there's the wish of the deep fulfillment of tears, Till the vision, the mad music are wept away. One cannot have them and live, but if one die It might be better than living -- who can say? Why do we thirst for urns beyond urns who know How sweet they are, yet bitter, not enough? Eternity will quench your thirst, O soul -- But never the Desert's spectre, cup of love! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: FLETCHER MCGEE by EDGAR LEE MASTERS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: GEORGE GRAY by EDGAR LEE MASTERS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: MINERVA JONES by EDGAR LEE MASTERS ALL LIFE IN A LIFE by EDGAR LEE MASTERS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: CONRAD SIEVER by EDGAR LEE MASTERS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: DAVIS MATLOCK by EDGAR LEE MASTERS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: DORA WILLIAMS by EDGAR LEE MASTERS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: EMILY SPARKS by EDGAR LEE MASTERS IN MEMORY OF BRYAN LATHROP by EDGAR LEE MASTERS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: LAMBERT HUTCHINS by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |
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