Omarism
July 6, 2023Muses
July 6, 2023Neæra’s Wreath
NEÆRA crowns me with a purple wreath
That she with her own dainty hands did twine;
Gold-hearted blossoms and blue buds in sheath,
Mingled with veined green leaves of the wild vine.
Then, bending down her bright head—ah, too nigh!—
She asks me for a song: the daylight dies:
The song is still unwritten: still I lie
Watching the purple twilight of her eyes.
I am her laureate; therefore heart of grace
I take to kiss her. Where was song like this?
Love is best sung of in a loveless place,
For who would care to sing where he might kiss?
Victor James Daley
Victor James Daley (1858-1905) was an Australian poet and writer who is often associated with the Australian bush poetry tradition. His work was characterized by a love of the Australian landscape and a deep sense of patriotism. Daley's poetry often celebrated the Australian way of life, and he was one of the first writers to use the Australian vernacular in his work. Despite his relatively short life, Daley was an important figure in Australian literature and his poetry has been widely studied and admired.