Until my head was dizzy and distraught. Moreover, through the dancing poppies stole A breeze most softly lulling to my soul; And shaping visions all about my sight
Of colors, wings, and bursts of spangly light; The which became more strange, and strange, and dim,
And then were gulf'd in a tumultuous swim: And then I fell asleep. Ah, can I tell The enchantment that afterwards befell? Yet it was but a dream: yet such a dream That never tongue, although it overteem With mellow utterance, like a cavern spring, Could figure out and to conception bring All I beheld and felt. Methought I lay Watching the zenith, where the milky way Among the stars in virgin splendour pours; And travelling my eye, until the doors Of heaven appear'd to open for my flight, I became loth and fearful to alight
From such high soaring by a downward glance: So kept me steadfast in that airy trance, Spreading imaginary pinions wide.
When, presently, the stars began to glide, And faint away, before my eager view: At which I sigh'd that I could not pursue, And dropp'd my vision to the horizon's verge; And lo! from opening clouds, I saw emerge The loveliest moon, that ever silver'd o'er A shell for Neptune's goblet; she did soar So passionately bright, my dazzled soul Commingling with her argent spheres did roll Through clear and cloudy, even when she went At last into a dark and vapoury tent Whereat, methought, the lidless-eyed train Of planets all were in the blue again.
To commune with those orbs, once more I raised My sight right upward: but it was quite dazed
By a bright something, sailing down apace, Making me quickly veil my eyes and face: Again I look'd, and, O ye deities,
Who from Olympus watch our destinies!
Whence that completed form of all completeness? Whence came that high perfection of all sweetness?
Speak, stubborn earth, and tell me where, O where
Hast thou a symbol of her golden hair?
Not oat-sheaves drooping in the western sun; Not thy soft hand, fair sister! let me shun Such follying before thee yet she had,
Indeed, locks bright enough to make me mad; And they were simply gordian'd up and braided, Leaving, in naked comeliness, unshaded,
Her pearl round ears, white neck, and orbed brow; The which were blended in, I know not how, With such a paradise of lips and eyes,
Blush-tinted cheeks, half smiles, and faintest sighs, That, when I think thereon, my spirit clings And plays about its fancy, till the stings Of human neighbourhood envenom all. Unto what awful power shall I call?
To what high fane, Ah! see her hovering feet, More bluely vein'd, more soft, more whitely sweet, Than those of sea-born Venus, when she rose From out her cradle shell. The wind out-blows Her scarf into a fluttering pavilion;
'Tis blue, and over-spangled with a million Of little eyes, as though thou wert to shed, Over the darkest, lushest bluebell bed,
Handfuls of daisies.".. “Endymion, how strange! Dream within dream!" "She took an airy
And then, towards me, like a very maid, Came blushing, waning, willing, and afraid,
And press'd me by the hand: Ah! 'twas too much;
Methought I fainted at the charmed touch, Yet held my recollection, even as one
Who dives three fathoms where the waters run Gurgling in beds of coral: for anon,
I felt upmounted in that region
Where falling stars dart their artillery forth, And eagles struggle with the buffeting north That balances the heavy meteor-stone ; Felt too, I was not fearful, nor alone,
But lapp'd and lull'd along the dangerous sky. Soon, as it seem'd, we left our journeying high, And straightway into frightful eddies swoop'd; Such as aye muster where gray time has scoop'd Huge dens and caverns in a mountain's side: There hollow sounds aroused me, and I sigh'd To faint once more by looking on my bliss I was distracted; madly did I kiss
The wooing arms which held me, and did give My eyes at once to death: but 'twas to live, To take in draughts of life from the gold fount Of kind and passionate looks; to count, and count The moments, by some greedy help that seem'd A second self, that each might be redeem'd And plunder'd of its load of blessedness. Ah, desperate mortal! I even dared to press Her very cheek against my crowned lip, And, at that moment, felt my body dip Into a warmer air: a moment more, Our feet were soft in flowers. Of newest joys upon that alp. A scent of violets, and blossoming limes, Loiter'd around us; then of honey cells, Made delicate from all white-flower bells; And once, above the edges of our nest, An arch face peep'd, an Oread as I guess'd.
There was store Sometimes
Why did I dream that sleep o'erpower'd me In midst of all this heaven? Why not see,
Far off, the shadows of his pinions dark, And stare them from me? But no, like a spark That needs must die, although its little beam Reflects upon a diamond, my sweet dream Fell into nothing into stupid sleep. And so it was, until a gentle creep,
A careful moving caught my waking ears, And up I started: Ah! my sighs, my tears, My clenched hands ; for lo! the poppies hung Dew-dabbled on their stalks, the ouzel sung A heavy ditty, and the sullen day
Had chidden herald Hesperus away, With leaden looks: the solitary breeze Bluster'd, and slept, and its wild self did tease With wayward melancholy; and I thought, Mark me, Peona! that sometimes it brought Faint fare-thee-wells, and sigh-shrilled adieus! Away I wander'd - all the pleasant hues Of heaven and earth had faded: deepest shades Were deepest dungeons; heaths and sunny glades Were full of pestilent light; our taintless rills Seem'd sooty, and o'erspread with upturn'd gills Of dying fish; the vermeil rose had blown In frightful scarlet, and its thorns outgrown Like spiked aloe. If an innocent bird Before my heedless footsteps stirr'd, and stirr'd In little journeys, I beheld in it
A disguised demon, missioned to knit
My soul with under darkness; to entice My stumblings down some monstrous precipice : Therefore I eager follow'd, and did curse The disappointment. Time, that aged nurse, Rock'd me to patience. Now, thank gentle heaven! These things, with all their comfortings, are given To my down-sunken hours, and with thee, Sweet sister, help to stem the ebbing sea Of weary life."
Thus ended he, and both Sat silent for the maid was very loth
To answer; feeling well that breathed words Would all be lost, unheard, and vain as swords Against the enchased crocodile, or leaps Of grasshoppers against the sun. She weeps,
And wonders; struggles to devise some blame; To put on such a look as would say, Shame On this poor weakness! but, for all her strife, She could as soon have crush'd away the life From a sick dove. At length, to break the pause, She said with trembling chance: "Is this the cause? This all? Yet it is strange, and sad, alas! That one who through this middle earth should pass Most like a sojourning demi-god, and leave His name upon the harp-string, should achieve No higher bard than simple maidenhood, Singing alone, and fearfully, how the blood Left his young cheek; and how he used to stray He knew not where: and how he would say, nay, If any said 'twas love: and yet 'twas love; What could it be but love? How a ring-dove Let fall a sprig of yew-tree in his path
And how he died: and then, that love doth scathe The gentle heart, as northern blasts do roses; And then the ballad of his sad life closes
With sighs, and an alas !
Be rather in the trumpet's mouth, anon Among the winds at large
that all may hearken! Although, before the crystal heavens darken,
I watch and dote upon the silver lakes
Pictured in western cloudiness, that takes
The semblance of gold rocks and bright gold sands, Islands, and creeks, and amber-fretted strands
With horses prancing o'er them, palaces
And towers of amethyst,
My pleasant days, because I could not mount Into those regions? The Morphean fount
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