English Poetry. Alan Seeger. Sonnet 16. WHO shall invoke her, who shall be her priest. Алан Сигер.

Alan Seeger (Алан Сигер)

Sonnet 16. WHO shall invoke her, who shall be her priest

WHO shall invoke her, who shall be her priest,
With single rites the common debt to pay?
On some green headland fronting to the East
Our fairest boy shall kneel at break of day.
Naked, uplifting in a laden tray
New milk and honey and sweet-tinctured wine,
Not without twigs of clustering apple-spray
To wreath a garland for Our Lady's shrine.
The morning planet poised above the sea
Shall drop sweet influence through her drowsing lid;
Dew-drenched, his delicate virginity
Shall scarce disturb the flowers he kneels amid,
That, waked so lightly, shall lift up their eyes,
Cushion his knees, and nod between his thighs.

Alan Seeger’s other poems:

1. Sonnet 12. Down the strait vistas where a city street
2. Sonnet 10. A splendor, flamelike, born to be pursued
3. Coucy
4. Sonnet 2. Not that I always struck the proper mean
5. Sonnet 4. Up at his attic sill the South wind came

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