A Dedication. To Charlotte Cushman
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| A Dedication. To Charlotte Cushman (1876) by |
| Sidney Lanier composed this poem in 1876. Lanier had been contracted to write a biography of Charlotte Cushman (1816–1876), an American actress, following her decease. Lanier composed three poems to be used in the biography: “A Dedication. To Charlotte Cushman” (this poem), “To Charlotte Cushman”, and “At First: To Charlotte Cushman”. Unfortunately the contract was cancelled upon the illness of a family friend who was to supply Lanier with the actress’ papers. This poem was published in Earliest Collected Poems in 1876. |
As Love will carve dear names upon a tree,
Symbol of gravure on his heart to be,
So thought I thine with loving text to set
In the growth and substance of my canzonet;
But, writing it, my tears begin to fall—
This wild-rose stem for thy large name’s too small!
Nay, still my trembling hands are fain, are fain
Cut the good letters though they lap again;
Perchance such folk as mark the blur and stain
Will say, ‘It was the beating of the rain;’
Or, haply these o’er-woundings of the stem
May loose some little balm, to plead for them.
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This work published before January 1, 1923 is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago. |
