And newness of thine art so pleased thee, On the prime labor of thine early days: No matter what the sketch might be; Whether the high field on the bushless Pike, Of heaped hills that mound the sea, Or even a lowly cottage whence we see Stretch'd wide and wild the waste enormous marsh, Where from the frequent bridge, Like emblems of infinity, The trenched waters run from sky to sky; Or a garden bower'd close With plaited alleys of the trailing rose, Long alleys falling down to twilight grots, Or opening upon level plots Of crowned lilies, standing near Purple-spiked lavender; Whither in after life retired From brawling storms, From weary wind, With youthful fancy reinspired, We may hold converse with all forms Of the many-sided mind, And those whom passion hath not blinded, Subtle-thoughted, myriad-minded, My friend, with you to live alone, Were how much better than to own A crown, a sceptre, and a throne! O strengthen me, enlighten me! I faint in this obscurity, Thou dewy dawn of memory. SONG. 1. A SPIRIT haunts the year's last hours To himself he talks; For at eventide, listening earnestly, At his work you may hear him sob and sigh In the walks; Earthward he boweth the heavy stalks Of the mouldering flowers: Heavily hangs the broad sunflower Over its grave i' the earth so chilly; What hope or fear or joy is thine? For sure thou art not all alone: Hast thou heard the butterflies, With what voice the violet woos Or when little airs arise, How the merry bluebell rings To the mosses underneath? Hast thou look'd upon the breath Wherefore that faint smile of thine, 4. Some honey-converse feeds thy mind, Some spirit of a crimson rose In love with thee forgets to close His curtains, wasting odorous sighs All night long on darkness blind. What aileth thee? whom waitest thou With thy soften'd, shadow'd brow, And those dew-lit eyes of thine, 5. Lovest thou the doleful wind 16 THE SEA-FAIRIES.-THE DESERTED HOUSE. In the heart of the garden the merry bird chants, It would fall to the ground if you came in. In the middle leaps a fountain Like sheet lightning, Ever brightening With a low melodious thunder; And the mountain draws it from Heaven above, THE SEA-FAIRIES. SLOW Sail'd the weary mariners and saw, Betwixt the green brink and the running foam, Sweet faces, rounded arms, and bosoms prest To little harps of gold; and while they mused, Whispering to each other half in fear, Shrill music reach'd them on the middle sea. Whither away, whither away, whither away? fly no more. Whither away from the high green field, and the happy blossoming shore? Day and night to the billow the fountain calls; From wandering over the lea: Out of the live-green heart of the dells They freshen the silvery-crimson shells, And thick with white bells the clover-hill swells O hither, come hither and furl your sails, Hither, come hither and frolic and play; Here it is only the mew that wails; We will sing to you all the day: Mariner, mariner, furl your sails, For here are the blissful downs and dales, Over the islands free; And the rainbow lives in the curve of the sand; Hither, come hither and see; And the rainbow hangs on the poising wave, And sweet shall your welcome be: O hither, come hither, and be our lords, For merry brides are we: We will kiss sweet kisses, and speak sweet words: O listen, listen, your eyes shall glisten When the sharp clear twang of the golden chords Runs up the ridged sea. Who can light on as happy a shore All the world o'er, all the world o'er? Whither away? listen and stay: mariner, mariner, fly no more. THE DESERTED HOUSE. 1. LIFE and Thought have gone away Side by side, Leaving door and windows wide: Careless tenants they! 2. All within is dark as night: 3. Close the door, the shutters close, Or thro' the windows we shall see Of the dark deserted house. THE DYING SWAN.-A DIRGE.-LOVE AND DEATH. 4. Come away: no more of mirth Is here or merry-making sound. The house was builded of the earth, And shall fall again to ground. 5. Come away for Life and Thought Here no longer dwell; But in a city glorious A great and distant city-have bought Would they could have stayed with us! THE DYING SWAN. 1. THE plain was grassy, wild and bare, Wide, wild, and open to the air, Which had built up everywhere An under-roof of doleful gray. And loudly did lament. And took the reed-tops as it went. 2. Some blue peaks in the distance rose, One willow over the river wept, And shook the wave as the wind did sigh; And far thro' the marish green and still Shot over with purple, and green, and yellow. 3. The wild swan's death-hymn took the soul As when a mighty people rejoice, With shawms, and with cymbals, and harps of gold, To the shepherd who watcheth the evening star. A DIRGE. 1. Now is done thy long day's work; Fold thy palms across thy breast, Fold thine arms, turn to thy rest. Let them rave. Shadows of the silver birk Sweep the green that folds thy grave. Let them rave. 2. Thee nor carketh care nor slander; Light and shadow ever wander 3. Thou wilt not turn upon thy bed; Thou wilt never raise thine head 4. Crocodiles wept tears for thee; The woodbine and eglatere Drip sweeter dews than traitor's tear. Rain makes music in the tree 5. Round thee blow, self-pleached deep, These in every shower creep 6. The gold-eyed kingcups fine; Kings have no such couch as thine, 7. Wild words wander here and there; The balm-cricket carols clear LOVE AND DEATH. 17 WHAT time the mighty moon was gathering light Love wept and spread his sheeny vans for flight; Life eminent creates the shade of death; 18 THE BALLAD OF ORIANA.-CIRCUMSTANCE.-THE MERMAN. Two children in two neighbor villages Two lovers whispering by an orchard wall; THE MERMAN. 1. WHO would be A merman bold, Under the sea, With a crown of gold, On a throne? 2. I would be a merman bold; I would sit and sing the whole of the day; I would fill the sea-halls with a voice of power; And then we would wander away, away 3. There would be neither moon nor star; But the wave would make music above us afarLow thunder and light in the magic nightNeither moon nor star. |