Triplex

A Prayer

Let them not war in me

these three,

Savior-of-cities,

Flower-of-destiny,

and she

Twinborn-with-Phoebos,

fending gallantly.

Let them not hate in me

these three,

Maid

of the luminous grey eyes,

Mistress

of honey and marble implacable white thighs,

and Goddess

chaste daughter of Zeus,

most beautiful in the skies.

Let them grow side by side in me

these three,

violets

dipped purple in stark Attic light,

rose

scorched (on Cyprus coast)

ambrosial white,

and wild

exquisite hill-crocus

from Arcadian snows.