LOVE AND DEATH-THE BALLAD OF ORIANA. 17 LOVE AND DEATH. WHAT time the mighty moon was gathering light Love paced the thymy plots of Paradise, And all about him roll'd his lustrous eyes; When, turning round a cassia, full in view, Death, walking all alone beneath a yew, And talking to himself, first met his sight : 'You must begone,' said Death, these walks are mine.' Love wept and spread his sheeny vans for flight; Yet ere he parted said, 'This hour is thine : Thou art the shadow of life, and as the tree Stands in the sun and shadows all beneath, So in the light of great eternity Life eminent creates the shade of death; The shadow passeth when the tree shall fall, But I shall reign for ever over all.' THE BALLAD OF ORIANA. My heart is wasted with my woe, Oriana. There is no rest for me below, Oriana. When the long dun wolds are ribb'd with snow, And loud the Norland whirlwinds blow, Oriana, Alone I wander to and fro, Oriana. Ere the light on dark was growing, Oriana, At midnight the cock was crowing, Oriana : 46 Winds were blowing, waters flowing, Aloud the hollow bugle blowing, In the yew-wood black as night, Oriana, Ere I rode into the fight, Oriana, While blissful tears blinded my sight I to thee my troth did plight, She stood upon the castle wall, She watch'd my crest among them all, She saw me fight, she heard me call, Atween me and the castle wall, The bitter arrow went aside, Oriana: The false, false arrow went aside, The damned arrow glanced aside, Thy heart, my life, my love, my bride, Oh! narrow, narrow was the space, Oriana. Loud, loud rung out the bugle's brays, Oriana. Oh! deathful stabs were dealt apace, But I was down upon my face, We would run to and fro, and hide and seek, On the broad sea-wolds in the crimson shells, Whose silvery spikes are nighest the sea. But if any came near I would call, and shriek, And adown the steep like a wave I would leap From the diamond-ledges that jut from the dells; For I would not be kiss'd by all who would list, Of the bold merry mermen under the sea; They would sue me, and woo me, and flatter me, In the purple twilights under the sea; But the king of them all would carry me, Woo me, and win me, and marry me, Would lean out from the hollow sphere of the sea, All looking down for the love of me. ADELINE. I. MYSTERY of mysteries, Faintly smiling Adeline, Nor unhappy, nor at rest, But beyond expression fair Thy rose-lips and full blue eyes II. Whence that aery bloom of thine, Looks thro' in his sad decline, Of a maiden past away, Ere the placid lips be cold? Wherefore those faint smiles of thine, Spiritual Adeline? III. What hope or fear or joy is thine? Do beating hearts of salient springs Hast thou heard the butterflies What they say betwixt their wings? Or in stillest evenings With what voice the violet woos To his heart the silver dews? Or when little airs arise, To the mosses underneath? Hast thou look'd upon the breath Of the lilies at sunrise? Wherefore that faint smile of thine, Shadowy, dreaming Adeline? IV. Some honey-converse feeds thy mind, His curtains, wasting odorous sighs All night long on darkness blind. |