How sweet the answer Echo makes To Music at night
When, roused by lute or horn, she wakes, And far away o'er lawns and lakes
Goes answering light!
Yet Love hath echoes truer far
And far more sweet
Than e'er, beneath the moonlight's star,
Of horn or lute or soft guitar
The songs repeat.
'Tis when the sigh,-in youth sincere
The sigh that's breathed for one to hear--Is by that one, that only Dear
Breathed back again.
Ah! County Guy, the hour is nigh, The sun has left the lea,
The orange-flower perfumes the bower, The breeze is on the sea.
The lark, his lay who thrill'd all day, Sits hush'd his partner nigh;
Breeze, bird, and flower confess the hour,
But where is County Guy?
The village maid steals through the shade Her shepherd's suit to hear;
To Beauty shy, by lattice high, Sings high-born Cavalier.
The star of Love, all stars above, Now reigns o'er earth and sky, And high and low the influence know- But where is County Guy?
Gem of the crimson-colour'd Even, Companion of retiring day, Why at the closing gates of heaven, Beloved Star, dost thou delay?
So fair thy pensile beauty burns When soft the tear of twilight flows; So due thy plighted love returns To chambers brighter than the rose ; To Peace, to Pleasure, and to Love So kind a star thou seem'st to be, Sure some enamour'd orb above Descends and burns to meet with thee.
Thine is the breathing, blushing hour When all unheavenly passions fly, Chased by the soul-subduing power Of Love's delicious witchery.
O! sacred to the fall of day Queen of propitious stars, appear, And early rise, and long delay, When Caroline herself is here!
Shine on her chosen green resort Whose trees the sunward summit crown, And wanton flowers, that well may court An angel's feet to tread them down :-
Shine on her sweetly scented road. Thou star of evening's purple dome, That lead'st the nightingale abroad, And guid'st the pilgrim to his home.
Shine where my charmer's sweeter breath Embalms the soft exhaling dew, Where dying winds a sigh bequeath To kiss the cheek of rosy hue :-
Where, winnow'd by the gentle air, Her silken tresses darkly flow And fall upon her brow so fair, Like shadows on the mountain snow.
Thus, ever thus, at day's decline In converse sweet to wander far-- O bring with thee my Caroline, And thou shalt be my Ruling Star!
Swiftly walk over the western wave, Spirit of Night!
Out of the misty eastern cave
Where, all the long and lone daylight, Thou wovest dreams of joy and fear Which make thee terrible and dear,- Swift be thy flight!
Wrap thy form in a mantle gray Star-inwrought;
Blind with thine hair the eyes of Day, Kiss her until she be wearied out: Then wander o'er city and sea and land, Touching all with thine opiate wand- Come, long-sought!
When I arose and saw the dawn, I sigh'd for thee;
When light rode high, and the dew was gone, And noon lay heavy on flower and tree,
And the weary Day turn'd to his rest
Lingering like an unloved guest,
I sigh'd for thee.
Thy brother Death came, and cried Wouldst thou me?
Thy sweet child Sleep, the filmy-eyed, Murmur'd like a noon-tide bee Shall I nestle near thy side? Wouldst thou me ?--And I replied No, not thee!
Death will come when thou art dead, Soon, too soon-
Sleep will come when thou art fled; Of neither would I ask the boon I ask of thee, beloved Night- Swift be thine approaching flight, Come soon, soon!
Why art thou silent? Is thy love a plant Of such weak fibre that the treacherous air Of absence withers what was once so fair? Is there no debt to pay, no boon to grant?
Yet have my thoughts for thee been vigilant, Bound to thy service with unceasing care- The mind's least generous wish a mendicant For nought but what thy happiness could spare.
Speak!-though this soft warm heart, once free to hold
A thousand tender pleasures, thine and mine, Be left more desolate, more dreary cold
Than a forsaken bird's-nest fill'd with snow 'Mid its own bush of leafless eglantine-
Speak, that my torturing doubts their end may know!
When we two parted In silence and tears, Half broken-hearted, To sever for years,
Pale grew thy cheek and cold, Colder thy kiss;
Truly that hour foretold Sorrow to this!
The dew of the morning Sunk chill on my brow; It felt like the warning Of what I feel now. Thy vows are all broken, And light is thy fame: I hear thy name spoken And share in its shame.
They name thee before me, A knell to mine ear;
A shudder comes o'er me- Why wert thou so dear? They know not I knew thec Who knew thee too well: Long, long shall I rue thee, Too deeply to tell.
In secret we met : In silence I grieve
That thy heart could forget,
Thy spirit deceive.
If I should meet thee
After long years,
How should I greet thee?-
With silence and tears.
Lord Byron
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