Under the Balcony

by Oscar Wilde · (no date)
Published 01/07/1880

O beautiful star with the crimson mouth!

      O moon with the brows of gold!

Rise up, rise up, from the odorous south!

            And light for my love her way,

            Lest her little feet should stray

      On the windy hill and the wold!

O beautiful star with the crimson mouth!

      O moon with the brows of gold!


O ship that shakes on the desolate sea!

      O ship with the wet, white sail!

Put in, put in, to the port to me!

            For my love and I would go

            To the land where the daffodils blow

      In the heart of a violet dale!

O ship that shakes on the desolate sea!

      O ship with the wet, white sail!


O rapturous bird with the low, sweet note!

      O bird that sings on the spray!

Sing on, sing on, from your soft brown throat!

            And my love in her little bed

            Will listen, and lift her head

      From the pillow, and come my way!

O rapturous bird with the low, sweet note!

      O bird that sits on the spray!


O blossom that hangs in the tremulous air!

      O blossom with lips of snow!

Come down, come down, for my love to wear!

            You will die on her head in a crown,

            You will die in a fold of her gown,

      To her little light heart you will go!

O blossom that hangs in the tremulous air!

      O blossom with lips of snow!

#courtship #nature symbolism #oscar wilde #romantic love #yearning

4 likes

Related poems →

More by Oscar Wilde

Read "Under the Balcony" by Oscar Wilde. One of the best and most popular poems on The Poet's Place. Discover more trending, inspiring, and beautiful poetry by Oscar Wilde.