THE KRAKEN.

BELOW the thunders of the upper deep;
Far, far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep
The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee
About his shadowy sides: above him swell
Huge sponges of millennial growth and height;
And far away into the sickly light,

From many a wondrous grot and secret cell
Unnumber'd and enormous polypi

Winnow with giant arms the slumbering green.
There hath he lain for ages and will lie
Battening upon huge seaworms in his sleep,
Until the latter fire shall heat the deep;
Then once by man and angels to be seen,
In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die.

SONG.

THE winds, as at their hour of birth,
Leaning upon the ridged sea,

Breathed low around the rolling earth

With mellow preludes, 'We are free.'

The streams thro' many a lilied row

Down-carolling to the crisped sea, Low-tinkled with a bell-like flow

Atween the blossoms, 'We are free.'

LILIAN.

I.

AIRY, fairy Lilian,

Flitting, fairy Lilian,

When I ask her if she love me,

Claps her tiny hands above me,
Laughing all she can ;

She'll not tell me if she love me,
Cruel little Lilian.

II.

When my passion seeks

Pleasance in love-sighs,

She, looking thro' and thro' me

Thoroughly to undo me,

Smiling, never speaks:

So innocent-arch, so cunning-simple, From beneath her gathered wimple

Glancing with black-beaded eyes,

Till the lightning laughters dimple

The baby-roses in her cheeks;

Then away she flies.

III.

Prythee weep, May Lilian! Gaiety without eclipse Wearieth me, May Lilian : Thro' my very heart it thrilleth

When from crimson-threaded lips Silver-treble laughter trilleth : Prythee weep, May Lilian.

IV.

Praying all I can,

If prayers will not hush thee,

Airy Lilian,

Like a rose-leaf I will crush thee,

Fairy Lilian.

ISABEL.

I.

EYES not down-dropt nor over-bright, but fed
With the clear-pointed flame of chastity,
Clear, without heat, undying, tended by

Pure vestal thoughts in the translucent fane
Of her still spirit; locks not wide-dispread,
Madonna-wise on either side her head;
Sweet lips whereon perpetually did reign
The summer calm of golden charity,
Were fixed shadows of thy fixed mood,

Revered Isabel, the crown and head,

The stately flower of female fortitude,

Of perfect wifehood and pure lowlihead.

II.

The intuitive decision of a bright

And thorough-edged intellect to part

Error from crime; a prudence to withhold;
The laws of marriage character'd in gold

Upon the blanched tablets of her heart;