Love

A Wall Flower

by Amy Levy 1861–1889

From A London Plane-Tree, and Other Verse

Love

I lounge in the doorway and languish in vain
While Tom, Dick and Harry are dancing with Jane

My spirit rises to the music’s beat;
There is a leaden fiend lurks in my feet!
To move unto your motion, Love, were sweet.

Somewhere, I think, some other where, not here,
In other ages, on another sphere,
I danced with you, and you with me, my dear.

In perfect motion did our bodies sway,
To perfect music that was heard alway;
Woe’s me, that am so dull of foot to-day!

To move unto your motion, Love, were sweet;
My spirit rises to the music’s beat--
But, ah, the leaden demon in my feet!

MLA

Levy, Amy. “A Wall Flower.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/levy/80/.

Chicago

Levy, Amy. “A Wall Flower.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/levy/80/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Amy Levy