SUNFLOWER, 
God of my Heart’s Idolatry. 
THE SUNFLOWER TO THE SUN. 
Hymettus’ bees are out on filmy wing, 
Dim Phosphor slowly fades adown the west, 
And earth awakes. Shine on me, oh! my king! 
For I with dew am laden and opprest. 
The night-winds smote me rudely in their play, 
And coldly Dian shed on me her light, 
As stealthily she glided on her way, 
To where Endymion slept on Latmian height. 
Long through the misty clouds of morning gray, 
The flowers have watched to hail thee from yon sea: 
Sad Asphodel, that pines to meet thy ray, 
And Juno’s roses* pale for love of thee! 
Perchance thou dalliest with the morning hour, 
Whose blush is reddening now the eastern wave! 
Or leav’st forever to the cloud thy flower, 
Lured by the glance white-footed Thetis gave! 
I was a proud Chaldean monarch’s child ;f 
Euphrates’ waters told me I was fair, 
When thou, Thessalia’s shepherd, on me smiled, 
And likened to thine own my amber hair. 
Thou art my life! sustainer of my spirit! 
Leave me not, then, in darkness here to pine; 
Other hearts love thee—but do they inherit 
A passionate devotedness like mine? 
* The ancients called the white lily the Rose of Juno. 
t Clytia, daughter of Orchanus, King of Babylon, was beloved by Apollo-but the god deserting her, 
she pined away with continually gazing on the Sun, and was changed to the flower denominated from 
him, which turns as he moves to look on his light. 
