My love hath told me so a thousand times. When I past by, a wild and wanton pard, Of fruitful kisses, thick as Autumn rains "O mother, hear me yet before I die. The snowy peak and snow-white cataract Foster'd the callow eaglet - from beneath Sweep thro' them; never see them overlaid With narrow moon-lit slips of silver cloud, "O mother, hear me yet before I die. I wish that somewhere in the ruin'd folds, Into the fair Peleïan banquet-hall, And cast the golden fruit upon the board, And bred this change; that I might speak my mind, And tell her to her face how much I hate Her presence, hated both of Gods and men. "O mother, hear me yet before I die. O death, death, death, thou ever-floating cloud, There are enough unhappy on this earth, Pass by the happy souls, that love to live : I pray thee, pass before my light of life, And shadow all my soul, that I may die. 66 "O mother, hear me yet before I die. I will not die alone, for fiery thoughts Do shape themselves within me, more and more, Whereof I catch the issue, as I hear Dead sounds at night come from the inmost hills, My far-off doubtful purpose, as a mother Ere it is born: her child! a shudder comes Across me never child be born of me, Unblest, to vex me with his father's eyes ! "O mother, hear me yet before I die. Hear me, O earth. I will not die alone, Lest their shrill happy laughter come to me THE SISTERS. I. We were two daughters of one race: She was the fairest in the face: The wind is blowing in turret and tree. They were together, and she fell; O the Earl was fair to see! II. She died she went to burning flame : She mix'd her ancient blood with shame. The wind is howling in turret and tree. Whole weeks and months, and early and late, To win his love I lay in wait: O the Earl was fair to see! |