Explore poems from our collection
What Do I Care?
"What Do I Care?" What do I care, in the dreams and the languor of spring, That my songs do not show me at all? For they are a fragrance, and I am a flint and a fire, I am an an…
My Heart Is Heavy
"My Heart Is Heavy" My heart is heavy with many a song Like ripe fruit bearing down the tree, But I can never give you one -- My songs do not belong to me. Yet in the evening, i…
Oh You Are Coming
"Oh You Are Coming" Oh you are coming, coming, coming, How will hungry Time put by the hours till then? -- But why does it anger my heart to long so For one man out of the world…
I Thought of You
"I Thought of You" I thought of you and how you love this beauty, And walking up the long beach all alone I heard the waves breaking in measured thunder As you and I once heard…
It Will Not Change
"It Will Not Change" It will not change now After so many years; Life has not broken it With parting or tears; Death will not alter it, It will live on In all my songs for you W…
Did You Never Know?
"Did You Never Know?" Did you never know, long ago, how much you loved me -- That your love would never lessen and never go? You were young then, proud and fresh-hearted, You we…
I Am Not Yours
"I Am Not Yours" I am not yours, not lost in you, Not lost, although I long to be Lost as a candle lit at noon, Lost as a snowflake in the sea. You love me, and I find you still…
You know the place: then
You know the place: then You know the place: then Leave Crete and come to us waiting where the grove is pleasantest, by precincts sacred to you; incense smokes on the altar, col…
Words
Words Although they are only breath, words which I command are immortal Sappho tr. Barnard
With his venom
With his venom With his venom irresistible and bittersweet that loosener of limbs, Love reptile-like strikes me down
We put the urn abord ship
We put the urn abord ship We put the urn aboard ship with this inscription: This is the dust of little Timas who unmarried was led into Persephone's dark bedroom And she being f…
Tonight I've watched
Tonight I've watched Tonight I've watched the moon and then the Pleiades go down The night is now half-gone; youth goes; I am in bed alone
To Evening
To Evening O HESPERUS! Thou bringest all things home; All that the garish day hath scattered wide; The sheep, the goat, back to the welcome fold; Thou bring'st the child, too, t…
To any army wife, in Sardis:
To any army wife, in Sardis: To any army wife, in Sardis: Some say a cavalry corps, some infantry, some again, will maintain that the swift oars of our fleet are the finest sigh…
The Muses
The Muses It is the Muses who have caused me to be honred: they taught me their craft Sappho tr. Barnard
Standing by my bed
Standing by my bed Standing by my bed in gold sandals Dawn that very moment awoke me
The Anactoria Poem
The Anactoria Poem Some say thronging cavalry, some say foot soldiers, others call a fleet the most beautiful of sights the dark earth offers, but I say it's whatever you love b…
Prayer to Our Lady of Paphos
Prayer to Our Lady of Paphos Dapple-throned Aphrodite, eternal daughter of God, snare-knitter! Don't, I beg you, cow my heart with grief! Come, as once when you heard my faroff…
Song of The Rose
Song of The Rose F Zeus chose us a King of the flowers in his mirth, He would call to the rose, and would royally crown it; For the rose, ho, the rose! is the grace of the earth…
Must I remind you, Clesis,
Must I remind you, Clesis, Must I remind you, Cleis, that sounds of grief are unbecmoming in a poet's household? and that they are not suitable in ours? [Note: "A poet's househo…
Ode to a Loved One
Ode to a Loved One LEST as the immortal gods is he, The youth who fondly sits by thee, And hears and sees thee, all the while, Softly speaks and sweetly smile. 'Twas this depriv…
Like the gods. . .
Like the gods. . . In my eyes he matches the gods, that man who sits there facing you--any man whatever-- listening from closeby to the sweetness of your voice as you talk, the…
It's no use
It's no use It's no use Mother dear, I can't finish my weaving You may blame Aphrodite soft as she is she has almost killed me with love for that boy
It is the Muses
It is the Muses It is the Muses who have caused me to be honred: they taught me their craft