Deep Down by Paul Gallagher
Tired bends the lily
Beneath its gorgeous flower;
Weary stoops the pilgrim
Drawn on by heavenly power.
All the soldier’s glory
Is grime upon his brow
In the darkness after battle —
A storm would bless him now.
Sadly broods the poet,
But the verse will glow,
And joy, like a diamond,
Rise from deep below.
Painful though the story
That the verse must tell,
Yet the heart that tells it
Sings like Philomel.[1]
Love’s a longer story
Than weariness or pain,
So the bending lily
Blooms again and again.
[1]In Greek mythology, Philomel was a princess raped by Tereus, the king of Thrace. As a result of this crime and to avenge her, the Gods transformed Philomel into a nightingale, known for its beautiful songs.
Paul Gallagher is a poet, translator and also an economics journalist. He has spent much of his life fighting for the revival of classical poetry and classical culture. More of his writings on culture can be found here.
