New to Me: Oscar Wilde Poem

By now, you should know of my all around love for all things scandalous in the poetry world. So, it should come as no surprise that Oscar Wilde is one of my favorite authors of all time. Disciplined artist/ socialite/ political scapegoat. Sentenced to 2 years of hard labor after being accused of "homosexual acts" by his lovers father. Tragic death. ::sigh::

Mr. Wilde's life itself was a work of art.

My favorite line in this poem is "and ruin draws the curtains of my bed." Even in such sadness and despair, he took a moment to capture it with beautiful language. I probably would have just said, "Man, this sucks." :-)

If you want to read more of his stuff and learn about his life, read De Profundis. It's an absolutely gorgeous and delicate glimpse into heartache...if there is such a thing.

Enjoy!

My Voice
BY Oscar Wilde

Within this restless, hurried, modern world
We took our hearts' full pleasure - You and I,
And now the white sails of our ship are furled,
And spent the lading of our argosy.

Wherefore my cheeks before their time are wan,
For very weeping is my gladness fled,
Sorrow has paled my young mouth's vermilion,
And Ruin draws the curtains of my bed.

But all this crowded life has been to thee
No more than lyre, or lute, or subtle spell
Of viols, or the music of the sea
That sleeps, a mimic echo, in the shell.