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Hint
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Answer
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I know not what to do:
my mind is divided.
—Sappho
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I know not what to do:
my mind is divided.
—Sappho
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I know not what to do, my mind is reft:
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I know not what to do, my mind is reft:
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is song's gift best? is love's gift loveliest?
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is song's gift best? is love's gift loveliest?
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I know not what to do, now sleep has pressed weight on your eyelids.
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I know not what to do, now sleep has pressed weight on your eyelids.
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Shall I break your rest, devouring, eager? is love's gift best?
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Shall I break your rest, devouring, eager? is love's gift best?
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nay, song's the loveliest: yet were you lost, what rapture could I take from song? what song were left?
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nay, song's the loveliest: yet were you lost, what rapture could I take from song? what song were left?
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I know not what to do: to turn and slake the rage that burns, with my breath burn and trouble your cool breath?
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I know not what to do: to turn and slake the rage that burns, with my breath burn and trouble your cool breath?
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so shall I turn and take snow in my arms? (is love's gift best?)
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so shall I turn and take snow in my arms? (is love's gift best?)
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yet flake on flake of snow were comfortless, did you lie wondering, wakened yet unawake.
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yet flake on flake of snow were comfortless, did you lie wondering, wakened yet unawake.
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Shall I turn and take comfortless snow within my arms?
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Shall I turn and take comfortless snow within my arms?
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press lips to lips that answer not, press lips to flesh that shudders not nor breaks?
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press lips to lips that answer not, press lips to flesh that shudders not nor breaks?
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Is love's gift best?—shall I turn and slake all the wild longing?
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Is love's gift best?—shall I turn and slake all the wild longing?
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Hint
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Answer
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O I am eager for you! as the Pleiads shake white light in whiter water so shall I take you?
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O I am eager for you! as the Pleiads shake white light in whiter water so shall I take you?
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My mind is quite divided, my minds hesitate, so perfect matched,
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My mind is quite divided, my minds hesitate, so perfect matched,
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I know not what to do: each strives with each as two white wrestlers standing for a match,
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I know not what to do: each strives with each as two white wrestlers standing for a match,
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ready to turn and clutch yet never shake muscle nor nerve nor tendon;
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ready to turn and clutch yet never shake muscle nor nerve nor tendon;
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so my mind waits to grapple with my mind, yet I lie quiet, I would seem at rest.
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so my mind waits to grapple with my mind, yet I lie quiet, I would seem at rest.
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I know not what to do: strain upon strain, sound surging upon sound makes my brain blind;
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I know not what to do: strain upon strain, sound surging upon sound makes my brain blind;
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as a wave-line may wait to fall yet (waiting for its falling)
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as a wave-line may wait to fall yet (waiting for its falling)
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still the wind may take from off its crest, white flake on flake of foam, that rises, seeming to dart and pulse and rend the light,
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still the wind may take from off its crest, white flake on flake of foam, that rises, seeming to dart and pulse and rend the light,
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so my mind hesitates above the passion quivering yet to break,
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so my mind hesitates above the passion quivering yet to break,
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so my mind hesitates above my mind, listening to song's delight.
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so my mind hesitates above my mind, listening to song's delight.
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I know not what to do: will the sound break, rending the night with rift on rift of rose and scattered light?
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I know not what to do: will the sound break,
rending the night with rift on rift of rose and scattered light?
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will the sound break at last as the wave hesitant, or will the whole night pass and I lie listening awake?
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will the sound break at last as the wave hesitant, or will the whole night pass and I lie listening awake?
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