The Centaur to Athene
So
undivide my nature,
Merciful
goddess of the grey eyes,
That my moiety of wordless creature
Be humanly
wise
And
my hands full of trust
Though
four horny feet stir the dust.
When
you walked in thin array
And
buds rose pink in the spray-sprigged sheath
Of lawn, and feet that trod the lawn beneath
Moved
as light as day,
I hotly
wished you’d brave
The
rock’s solitary enclave.
The
thunder shook in my side
Which
lightning flickered, shining like rain.
I should be the storm over fields of grain,
Bridegroom
undenied –
Lips
wide to bearded lips,
Haunches
grappled to milk-white hips.
You
came and overcame me,
Most
just and gentle, grey-eyed goddess,
Whose skilled fingers in these harsh curls tame me
Even
as they bless.
Henceforth
men proclaim me
Not
for my lust but learnedness.
John Gibbens, from The Promise
Go to the Trading Post to buy The Promise
