Ditch the ads, upload images and much more - upgrade today from 5.95/month!
Read Contests Groups Learn Forums Store Help
 

Essence Of Timeless Love (Cento)

She walks in Beauty, like the night

like a flower its perfume, I am bound to

the arc of flesh that is my breast

nakedly beautiful

beat within my blood's beat, hear my heart move

Stretch me like a bridge with the scent of oranges...

speak of me to the winding road and the stream

in the vine-shadows on the veranda;

enwrought with golden and silver light

save what from heaven is with the breezes blown

My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground

to her fair works did Nature link

she was made of black motherofpearl

and in another form in timeless sweet land

Ah! such alone should know thy loveliness!

That makes to dream the birds upon the tree

and whisper to their souls to go

when the fire rages in the heart

aye, such breathless honey feel of bliss

that will be forever the best of fates
 

The feelings of joy and rapture

like a spring flowing from the ground

upon the white stilled hushing of my soul

I AM he that aches with amorous love

and my heart finds it unbearable

But genuine Love must prize the past

til merely woman and man we live

as strong, as deep, as wide as the sea

companion, comforter, and guide and friend

I will warm your breast and thighs with kisses 

 

One, we are one, O heart of my heart

I scarce believe my love to be so pure

for she was born with God in paradise

I stood most blest of all beneath the sun

thro' all my being, thro' my  pulses beat

And- God be praised! -you belong to me

so my great love for thee lies tranquil, deep

I dedicate myself, on my knees, like an orphan

you are whole, exact, and everything you are is one

you mould my hopes, you fashion me within

 

Therefore the love which us doth bind

by the streams of the spirits of peace that flow

for she knows me, my heart, clear as crystal beam

sharing a love like ours my happy heart sighs

mirrored in thy pure form and delicate

Since I have set my lips to your full cup my sweet

so proudly with the splendor of Love's praise

that scorched my soul with its burning breath

and yet she has more wealth to give

of all that's beautiful and rare~

Author notes

The following are the links for each line:

1) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/408-Lord-George-Gordon-Byron-She-Walks-In-Beauty

2) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/39372-Pablo-Neruda-Love

3) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/33276-Judith-Wright-Woman-To-Man

4) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/46259-Pablo-Neruda-Ode-To-A-Naked-Beauty

5) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/27168-Kenneth-Slessor-Sleep

6) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/30748-Nizar-Qabbani-your-body-is-my-map

7) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/30737-Nizar-Qabbani-A-Brief-Love-Letter

8) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/35273-Judith-Wright-The-Sisters

9) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/2676-William-Butler-Yeats-Aedh-Wishes-For-The-Cloths-Of-Heaven

10) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/792-John-Keats-Ode-To-A-Nightingale

11) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/4799-William-Shakespear-Sonnet-130-My-Mistress-eyes-are-nothing-like-the-sun

12) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/2529-William-Wordsworth-Lines-Written-In-Early-Spring

13) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/39375-Pablo-Neruda-The-Fickle-One

14) http://oldpoetry.com/poem/38217-Mewlana-Jabluddin-Rumi-A-Moment-of-Happiness

15) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/31454-George-Sterling-Flame

16) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/29816-Paul-Verlaine-Clair-De-Lune

17) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/599-John-Donne-A-Valediction--wbr-Forbidding-Mourning

18) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/24912-Mirabai-I-am-mad-with-Love

19) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/13326-John-Keats-Endymion--Book-I-A-Thing-Of-Beauty

20) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/30745-Nizar-Qabbani-The-Fortune-Teller

21) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/28274-Thomas-E-Spencer-Do-I-Love-Thee

22) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/30734-Nizar-Qabbani-On-Entering-The-Sea

23) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/49617-Angelina-Weld-Grimke-Evanescence

24) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/2166-Walt-Whitman-I-Am-He-That-Aches-With-Love

25) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/24914-Mirabai-The-Rainy-Season

26) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/35993-Lord-George-Gordon-Byron-Stanzas-For-Music-They-Say-That-Hope-Is-Happiness

27) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/54157-Judith-Wright-All-Things-Conspire

28) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/56834-Francis-William-Bourdillon-Sonnet-II

29) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/32875-Henry-Alford-You-And-I

30) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/47546-Kenneth-Rexroth-Runaway

31) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/35025-Alfred-Noyes-Unity

32) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/29644-John-Donne-Love-S-Growth

33) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/30064-Michaelangelo-Buonarroti-Celestial-Love

34) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/31452-George-Sterling-Happiest

35) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/469-Samuel-Taylor-Coleridge-The-Presence-of-Love

36) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/52010-Arseny-Tarkovsky-First-Meetings

37) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/56834-Francis-William-Bourdillon-Sonnet-II

38) http://poetry.com/opoem/52012-Arseny-Tarkvosky-And-I-dreamt-and-this-I-dream

39) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/39374-Pablo-Neruda-Sonnet-XL-II--I-Hunt-For-A-Sign-Of-You

40) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/469-Samuel-Taylor-Coleridge-The-Presence-Of-Love

41) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/1337-Andrew-Marvell-The-Definition-Of-Love

42) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/27180-Sarojini-Naidu-Song-Of-A-Dream

43) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/29843-Paul-Verlaine-Often-Do-I-Dream

44) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/38377-James-Douglas-Morrison-Just-Thinking-Of-You

45) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/30066-Michalangelo-Buonarroti-Doom-Of-Beauty

46) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/26202-Victor-Marie-Hugo-More-Strong-Than-Time

47) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/162-Rupert-Brooke-The-Great-Lover

48) http://oldppetry.com/opoem/32191-Ella-Wheeler-Wilcox-Ad-Finem

49) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/35603-Charles-Hanson-Towne-I-Drink-The-Fragrance-Of-The-Rose

50) http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/60672-Alexander-Sergeyevich-Pushkin-A-Magic-Moment-I-Remember

A contest entry

Please tell me what you think

    : , Your review:

    Comment Suggestion: What is your your first impression?
    : no Cost: 0 free left 0 points, You have (?)

Comments

1 - 18 of 18

  • poet2angels silver member
    August 25

    Edit | Reply
    A gorgeous Canto!
    Such a masterpiece and I know how much work this must have taken to make it flow so flawlessly!
    Excellent!
    Lynda


  • Gratitude
    August 20

    Edit | Reply
    Lovely, flowing, romantic write. I don't understand why there are all those links in your author notes but you have obviously put time and effort into this work. It reads like an old fashioned love letter, and I am taken with it. Thank you so much for posting it here.


    • Frogzter gold member
      August 20
      Edit | Reply
      It is a cento.. written one line at a time from different greats of the past and none repeated. Each line from a different poem of the greats. Thanks for the wonderful words.

      Blessings,

      Frogz~

  • aboomer silver member
    August 16

    Edit | Reply
    wow - I'm not sure I've seen this done before, or even fully understand HOW it's done - but I can tell you've put a lot of work into this to have it come out so lovely, read so well and hold one's interest. I also love the 'feel' to this - softly romantic. I like so many lines, but the following stood out to me,
    'But genuine Love must prize the past
    til merely woman and man we live
    as strong, as deep, as wide as the sea
    companion, comforter, and guide and friend'
    very well done!
    Congrats on the trophy - I am glad to see this got some recognition.
    best wishes

  • What a lot of work this was. Trying to compose a poem of old poets words and weave a vine of songs for all of us to learn from. I really liked the line "you mould my hopes, you fashion me within" How true. How romantic.

    Nicely done. Dang hard work!


  • Rowan gold member
    April 11

    Edit | Reply
    this only won HM?
    I never would have guess this was made up of Oldpoetry lines, it flows so beautifully. What a lot of work this contest was, but by the caliber and depth of this piece, I can see it definitely wasn't wasted time. Wow, well done!


    Kathleen


  • MariGoes gold member
    March 17

    Edit | Reply
    Such a lovely poem! It has a nice sensual imagery and love is all around. The flow is consistent and lines entwine very well in one another.
    Very good work you have done, to which I thank you


    • Frogzter gold member
      March 17
      Edit | Reply
      Thank you so much... it was quite a rewarding challenge!

  • Yemassee silver member
    March 17

    Edit | Reply
    I think centos are just made for romance, possibly because there's just so many poems to choose from. Not only that but love is a topic many people enjoy so it make reading a cento more pleasant.

    It was hard work wasn't it! But the end result was worth it.


    • Frogzter gold member
      March 17
      Edit | Reply
      Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed the read!

      Love and light,

      Frogz~
  • haley27 gold member
    March 17

    Edit | Reply

    wow!

    Wow! This is beautiful to the core of the cento. These are my fav. lines:
    "One, we are one, O heart of my heart

    I scarce believe my love to be so pure

    for she was born with God in paradise

    I stood most blest of all beneath the sun

    thro' all my being, thro' my pulses beat"
    These lines drew me in kept me reading like reading a love story book. Good luck in the contest. Haley27

  • mrs. random silver member
    March 17

    Edit | Reply
    A very beautiful piece. A lot of time and HARD work ahs ovbiously gone in to this and I am so excited I got a chance to read it!

    Love always~
    Miley
  • goalsv
    March 16

    Edit | Reply
    Excellent job. A beautiful piece and I am sure very laboring. Still poetic and yet very unique. Great job with the prompt.


    • Frogzter gold member
      March 17
      Edit | Reply
      Thank you ! Very laboring indeed but well worth it! I love old poetry so writing a cento lets me spend time with the greats! Glad you enjoyed!

      Frogz~

  • ShelleyA gold member
    March 15

    Edit | Reply

    Outstanding

    Beautiful, simply beautiful. A skillfully crafted cento. Deep expression of emotion. This is a special love that you express with such verve. Lovely metaphor, simile, word choice, alliteration and assonance. Elegant verse. Well penned and a delight to read. Best wishes in the contest dear one. Mom


    • Frogzter gold member
      March 16
      Edit | Reply
      Thanks so much mom! I do enjoy writing a Cento but I must admit this one had me cross-eyed before it was done! A lot of hard work in this one for sure but I was somewhat pleased with the result! Thanks for your kind words and loving support!

      Much love,

      Frogz~

  • Kelli Marie
    March 15

    Edit | Reply
    Oh wow!!!! This is really an awesome piece of poetry. I sure think you did a magnificent job. I wish you good luck in the contest.
    Kelli


    • Frogzter gold member
      March 16
      Edit | Reply
      Thank you so much for the wonderful comment on this Cento. Glad you enjoyed! Have a blessed day,

      Frogz~
1 - 18 of 18