B. K. van Slyke. Orpheus in the Street. Harriet Monroe, ed. Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912-22

Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22.

Orpheus in the Street

By B. K. van Slyke


I PASSED a hurdy-gurdy playing in the street
A haunting ancient tune to tempt the feet;
But nobody paused to listen,
Nobody paused to look,
Although the ragged tune entranced me in the street.	5

I thought my heart would break as I stood listening there
To ragged Orpheus grinding out his air;
For nobody paused to listen,
Nobody paused to look,
Although the ancient gods of Greece flocked round us there.	10