Sappho was an Archaic Greek poet from the island of Lesbos. She is known for her lyric poetry, and was widely regarded as one of the greatest lyric poets.

This piece is an incomplete poem, which I’ve completed ( in italics).

In my eyes he matches the gods, that man who

sits there facing you–any man whatever–

listening from close by to the sweetness of your

          voice as you talk, the

sweetness of your laughter: yes, that–I swear it–

sets the heart to shaking inside my breast, since

once I look at you for a moment, I can’t

          speak any longer,

but my tongue breaks down, and then all at once a

subtle fire races inside my skin, my

eyes can’t see a thing and a whirring whistle

          thrums at my hearing,

cold sweat covers me and a trembling takes

a hold of me all over: I’m greener than the

grass is and appear to myself to be little

          short of dying.

But all must be endured, since even a poor

man like me is bound to have feelings

of longing

My face leaks – joining the sweat from my brow

But I will not let you see this river of my heart’s desire

I cast my eyes upon your form – one final time

Perhaps

in another time

in another space

your eyes will see me, only

and your laughter will be as cool water

-quenching my fire

Wild Friday at Poets United