Living
Song VI
Translated by Jethro Bithell (1911) · From Contemporary Belgian Poetry (1911)
The seven virgins of Orlamonde,
When the fairy had passed away,
The seven virgins of Orlamonde,
Sought the gates of day.
Have lit the wick of their seven lanterns,
Have opened, flight by flight,
The door of full four hundred chambers,
But have not found the light ...
They come unto the sounding caverns,
Go down, with courage cold,
And in the lock of a closed portal
Find a key of gold.
Through the chinks they see the ocean,
They are afraid of death,
Dare not ope, knock at the portal,
With bated breath.
Cite this poem
MLA
Maeterlinck, Maurice. “Song VI.” Translated by Jethro Bithell. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/maurice-maeterlinck/20/.
Chicago
Maeterlinck, Maurice. “Song VI.” Translated by Jethro Bithell. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/maurice-maeterlinck/20/.
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