Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

Yet, indeed, Half-whisper'd in his ear, I promise thee

If gazing on divinity disrobed Thy mortal eyes are frail to judge of fair,

Unbiass'd by self-profit, oh! rest thee

sure

That I should love thee well and cleave to thee,

So that my vigor, wedded to thy blood, Shall strike within thy pulse, like a God's,

To push thee forward thro' a life of shocks,

Dangers, and deeds, until endurance grow

Sinew'd with action, and the full-grown will, Circled thro' all experiences, pure law, Commeasure perfect freedom.' "Here she ceased, And Paris ponder'd, and I cried, O Paris,

Give it to Pallas!' but he heard me not,

Or hearing would not hear me, woe is

me!

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Shall lone none see the morning mist Sweep thro' them; never see them overlaid

With narrow moon-lit slips of silver cloud,

Between the loud stream and the trembling stars.

And shadow all my soul, that I may die.

Thou weighest heavy on the heart within,

Weigh heavy on my eyelids: let me die.

"O mother, hear me yet before I die

"O mother, hear me yet before I I will not die alone, for fiery thoughts Do shape themselves within me, more and more,

die.

I wish that somewhere in the ruin'd folds,

Among the fragments tumbled from the glens,

Or the dry thickets, I could meet with her,

The Abominable, that uninvited came
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

[blocks in formation]

Whereof I catch the issue, as I hear Dead sounds at night come from the inmost hills,

Like footsteps upon wool. I dimly

see

My far-off doubtful purpose, as a mother

Conjectures of the features of her child 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

Walking the cold and starless road of Death

Uncomforted, leaving my ancient love With the Greek woman. I will rise and go

Down into Troy, and ere the stars come forth

Talk with the wild Cassandra, for she says

A fire dances before her, and a sound Rings ever in her ears of armed men. What this may be I know not, but I know

That, wheresoe'er I am by night and day,

All earth and air seem only burning fire.

[blocks in formation]

THE PALACE OF ART.

I BUILT my soul a lordly pleasurehouse,

Wherein at ease for aye to dwell. I said, "O Soul, make merry and

carouse,

Dear soul, for all is well."

A huge crag-platform, smooth as burnish'd brass, [bright I chose. The ranged ramparts From level meadow-bases of deep grass Suddenly scaled the light.

Thereon I built it firm. Of ledge or shelf

The rock rose clear, or winding stair. My soul would live alone unto herself In her high palace there.

And "while the world runs round and round," I said,

Reign thou apart, a quiet king, Still as, while Saturn whirls, his steadfast shade

Sleeps on his luminous ring."

To which my soul made answer readily: "Trust me, in bliss I shall abide In this great mansion, that is built for

[blocks in formation]

37

[blocks in formation]

Full of long-sounding corridors it was, That over-vaulted grateful gloom, Thro' which the livelong day my soul did pass,

Well-pleased, from room to room.

Full of great rooms and small the palace stood,

All various, each a perfect whole From living Nature, fit for every mood And change of my still soul.

For some were hung with arras green and blue,

Showing a gaudy summer-morn, Where with puff'd cheek the belted hunter blew

His wreathed bugle-horn.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Or in a clear-wall'd city on the sea, Near gilded organ-pipes, her hair Wound with white roses, slept St. Cecily;

An angel looked at her.

Or thronging all one porch of Paradise,
A group of Houris bow'd to see
The dying Islamite, with hands and

eyes

That said, We wait for thee.

Or mythic Uther's deeply-wounded son In some fair space of sloping greens Lay, dozing in the vale of Avalon,

And watch'd by weeping queens.

Or hollowing one hand against his ear,
To list a footfall, ere he saw
The wood-nymph, stay'd the Ausonian
king to hear

Of wisdom and of law.

Or over hills with peaky tops engrail'd, And many a tract of palm and rice, The throne of Indian Cama slowly sail'd

A summer fann'd with spice.

Or sweet Europa's mantle blew unclasp'd, [borne : From off her shoulder backward From one hand droop'd a crocus: one hand grasp'd

The mild bull's golden horn.

Or else flushed Ganymede, his rosy thigh

Half-buried in the Eagle's down, Sole as a flying star shot thro' the sky Above the pillar'd town.

Nor these alone: but every legend fair Which the supreme Caucasian mind Carved out of Nature for itself, was there,

Not less than life, design'd.

« ElőzőTovább »