With Waves and Wings by Charlotte Porter. William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. 1922. Anthology of Massachusetts Poets

William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. (1878–1962). Anthology of Massachusetts Poets. 1922.

With Waves and Wings

Charlotte Porter


WAVES and Wings and Growing Things!
As through the gladden sight ye flow
And flit and glow,
Ye win me so
In soul to go,	5
I too am waves, I too am wings,
And kindred motion in me springs.

With thee I pass, glad growing grass!—
I climb the air with lissome mien;
Unsheathing keen	10
The vivid sheen
Of springing green,
I thrill the crude, exalt the crass
Fine-flex’d and fluent from Earth’s mass.

And impulse craves with thee, Sea Waves!—	15
To make all mutable the floor
Of Earth’s firm shore,
With flashing pour
Whose brimming o’er
Impassion’d motion loves and laves	20
And livens sombre slumbering caves.

Then soaring where the wild birds fare,
My song would sweep the windy lyre
Of Heaven’s choir,
Pulsing desire	25
For starry fire,
Abashing chilling vagues of air
With throbbing of warm breasts that dare!