Saturday, March 6, 2010

Barter by Sara Teasdale


Barter
by Sara Teasdale

Life has loveliness to sell,
All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And childrens's faces looking up
Holding wonder in a cup.

Life has loveliness to sell,
Music like a curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain,
Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And for your spirit's still delight,
Holy thoughts that star the night.

Spend all you have for loveliness,
Buy it and never count the cost;
For one white singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost,
And for a breath of ecstacy
Give all you have been, or could be.

7 comments:

ds said...

Lovely. The more I read of her, the better I like Ms. Teasdale. And I'm partial to the bird in your photo, too. Thanks.

GYPSYWOMAN said...

beautiful, lady! and the image so beautiful! have a glorious evening!

Unspoken said...

And for a breath of ecstacy
Give all you have been, or could be.

LOVED this. And Stevie Nicks playing along, oh yeah :)!

Woman in a Window said...

This one is sweet, Marion. Best to always keep spare change in the pocket, right, just in case.

xo
erin

Karen said...

One of my oldest favorites. Still holds for me.

Kelly said...

Very nice poem..... and you KNOW how I feel about Cardinals!

Sunshine four days in a row here!!! (rain is in our forecast starting tomorrow night. boo, hiss)

quid said...

And I return the favor of the poem with... Sara Teasdale:


"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
A spirit beautiful and bright,
Yet I am I, who long to be
Lost as a light is lost in light.

Oh plunge me deep in love -put out
My senses, leave me deaf and blind
Swept by the tempest of your love,
A taper in a rushing wind.

Sara Teasdale