All Greece hates
the still eyes in the white face,
the lustre as of olives
where she stands,
and the white hands.
All Greece reviles
the wan face when she smiles,
hating it deeper still
when it grows wan and white,
remembering past enchantments
and past ills.
Greece sees, unmoved,
God's daughter, born of love,
the beauty of cool feet
and slenderest knees,
could love indeed the maid,
only if she were laid,
white ash amid funereal cypresses.
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Comments2I remember reading this way back in the day. It's got such a powerful, kinda melancholic vibe to it. Really gets under your skin, y'know? Kinda feels like a reflection on beauty and resentment or something. It's like, even though she's all stunning and stuff, there's this deep hatred for her too. It's deep, man. The ending is pretty morbid too...It's like, they could only love her if she was dead and gone. It's a heavy piece but I think it's pretty great even if it's a bit of a downer.
NOT A FAN OF "HELEN", I COULDN'T CONNECT WITH IT AT ALL. FELT TOO DISTANT AND COLD FOR ME. I GUESS IT'S A MATTER OF PERSONAL TASTE. THERE'S DEFINITELY TALENT IN THE WRITING, BUT IT JUST DIDN'T HOLD MY INTEREST. I PREFER WORKS THAT ARE A BIT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND RELATABLE. I KNOW LOTS OF FOLKS LOVE THIS KIND OF STUFF BUT I GUESS IT'S JUST NOT FOR ME. EACH TO THEIR OWN, I SUPPOSE!