Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). The New Poetry: An Anthology. 1917.
EndymionJohn Crawford
T
Crumbles away,
Crawls away …
Keyed down,
Hushed away
To whispers….
Bare legs—
Impacts of sand-grains—
Impacts of girls’ eyes—)
Of flesh from flesh—
Slippery, gritty,
Hands grip and slide,
Fingers roll
On my face—)
Waist deep,
Eyes prickling …
To catch their eyes,
Catch and hold their eyes:
She knew that,
But She could not blind
All their eyes—)
Up to my arm-pits….
Could keep my arms knit—
Body like a panther,
That one—)
Sleep slides
Grain by grain….
No one knows….
She’ll never kill the feel of you
With Her sand—)
Crawling,
Creeping—
Ring about my neck …
Your hands at my throat—
Your lips—)