An Anemone

"Teach me the wisdom of thy beauty, pray,
That, being thus wise, I may aspire to see
What beauty is, whence, why, and in what way
Immortal, yet how mortal utterly:
For, shrinking loveliness, thy brow of day
Pleads plaintive as a prayer, anemone.

"Teach me wood-wisdom, I am petulant:
Thou hast the wildness of a Dryad's eyes,
The shyness of an Oread's, wild plant:--
Behold the bashful goddess where she lies
Distinctly delicate!--inhabitant
Ambrosial-earthed, star-cousin of the skies.

"Teach me thy wisdom, for, thro' knowing, yet,
When I have drunk dull Lethe till each vein
Thuds full oblivion, I shall not forget;--
For beauty known is beauty; to sustain
Glad memories with life, while mad regret
And sorrow perish, being Lethe slain."

"Teach thee my beauty being beautiful
And beauty wise?--My slight perfections, whole
As world, as man, in their creation full
As old a Power's cogitation roll.
Teach thee?--Presumption! thought is young and dull--
Question thy God what God is, soul what soul."