The Works of Charles Lamb by Thomas Noon Talford (One of His Executioners)05:23 Aug 12 2015
Times Read: 161
I used to hide my money in an old book with the same name as this entry. The publication and printing date preceded Lincoln's Presidency, not ten years after Queen Victoria's reign began - and then the pages began to fray, and the title along the spine was indecipherable. The paper was stained brown like a used coffee filter and I found that I could not read it upon danger of fragments of leather falling from it's cover like an ancient blizzard. I could feel the exquisite and delicate engraving of a floral and grape-vine design, bordered by intertwining Celtic knots, if I dared, but this longing to feel the age-old cover also slowly destroyed it. The front was held on by the strings of the original binding. It was not a thing of magic or of ages past when I considered that I had purchased it at a small-town bookstore in the furthest reaches of shelves to the very rear of the shop for twenty dollars, but then I read the poem again, and then again. It goes:
"THE SELF-ENCHANTED"
"I had a sense in dreams of a beauty rare,
Whom fate had spell-bound and rooted there,
Stooping like some enchanted theme,
Over the marge of that crystal stream,
Where the blooming Greek to Echo blind,
With self-love fond had to waters pined.
Ages had waked and ages slept,
And that bending posture she still kept:
For her eyes may not turn away,
Till a fairer object shall pass this way -
Till an image more beauteous this world can show,
Than her own which she sees in the mirror below.
Pore on, fair creature!
Forever pore,
Nor dream to be disenchanted more,
For vain is expectance,
And wish is vain,
Till a new Narcissus can come again."
I think of this every time I look at my reflection and sigh.
COMMENTS
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KALIGULA
13:11 Aug 12 2015
Why not post your own words?
frayed
14:30 Aug 12 2015
Found the last comment odd, thought this was your Journal...
DragonVvvVPrincess
22:15 Aug 26 2015
If it is something you like - what does it matter if you wrote it or not? Just so long as you do not take credit for writing it, I see nothing wrong with posting someone else's work. i.e Such as quotes and or poetry from an author you like....Just saying.~Mina