MARIANA IN THE SOUTH. WITH One black shadow at its feet, The house thro' all the level shines, And silent in its dusty vines : But Ave Mary,' made she moan, She, as her carol sadder grew, From brow and bosom slowly down Thro' rosy taper fingers drew Her streaming curls of deepest brown. To left and right, and made appear Her melancholy eyes divine, 'Madonna, sad is night and morn,' Till all the crimson changed, and past 'Is this the form,' she made her moan, 'That won his praises night and morn?' And 'Ah,' she said, 'but I wake alone, I sleep forgotten, I wake forlorn.' Nor bird would sing, nor lamb would bleat, On stony drought and steaming salt; Till now at noon she slept again, And seem'd knee-deep in mountain grass, She breathed in sleep a lower moan, And murmuring, as at night and morn, She thought, 'My spirit is here alone, Walks forgotten, and is forlorn.' Dreaming, she knew it was a dream : Fell, and, without, the steady glare She whisper'd, with a stifled moan More inward than at night or morn, 'Sweet Mother, let me not here alone Live forgotten and die forlorn.' And, rising, from her bosom drew Old letters, breathing of her worth, For 'Love,' they said, 'must needs be true, An image seem'd to pass the door, 'O cruel heart,' she changed her tone, To live forgotten, and die forlorn ?' But sometimes in the falling day To look into her eyes and say, 'But thou shalt be alone no more.' And flaming downward over all From heat to heat the day decreased, 'The day to night,' she made her moan, 'The day to night, the night to morn, And day and night I am left alone To live forgotten, and love forlorn.' At eve a dry cicala sung, There came a sound as of the sea; Backward the lattice-blind she flung, And lean'd upon the balcony. There all in spaces rosy-bright Large Hesper glitter'd on her tears, And weeping then she made her moan, To live forgotten, and love forlorn.' death becomes release + promise of happiness and love VOL. I. |