English Poetry (1170-1892)

But soon, with alter'd voice, said she
"Off, wandering mother! Peak and pine! 205
I have power to bid thee flee."

Alas! what ails poor Geraldine?
Why stares she with unsettled eye?
Can she the bodiless dead espy?
And why with hollow voice cries she,
"Off, woman, off! this hour is mine -
Though thou her guardian spirit be,
Off, woman, off! 'tis given to me."

Then Christabel knelt by the lady's side,
And raised to heaven her eyes so blue -

210

215

THE CURSE OF KEHAMA

365

Of yonder plane, with wavy motion slow,

Fanning the languid air,

He moves it to and fro.

169

But when that form of beauty meets his sight,
The trunk its undulating motion stops,
From his forgetful hold the plane-branch drops,
Reverent he kneels, and lifts his rational eyes
To her as if in prayer;

And when she pours her angel voice in song Entranced he listens to the thrilling notes, Till his strong temples, bathed with sudden dews,

Their fragrance of delight and love diffuse.

Nor trinketry on front, or neck, or breast, Marring the perfect form: she seem'd a thing Of Heaven's prime uncorrupted work, a child Of early nature undefiled,

A daughter of the years of innocence.

And therefore all things loved her. When she stood

Beside the glassy pool, the fish, that flies Quick as an arrow from all other eyes, Hover'd to gaze on her. The mother bird, When Kailyal's step she heard, Sought not to tempt her from her secret nest, But hastening to the dear retreat, would fly To meet and welcome her benignant eye.

210

Old Kaspar took it from the boy,

Who stood expectant by;

And then the old man shook his head, And with a natural sigh,

"Tis some poor fellow's skull," said he, "Who fell in the great victory.

"I find them in the garden,
For there's many here about;
And often when I go to plough,

The ploughshare turns them out! For many thousand men," said he, "Were slain in that great victory."

"Now tell me what 'twas all about,"
Young Peterkin, he cries;
And little Wilhelmine looks up
With wonder-waiting eyes;
"Now tell us all about the war,
And what they fought each other for."

"It was the English," Kaspar cried,
"Who put the French to rout;
But what they fought each other for,
I could not well make out;
But everybody said," quoth he,
"That 'twas a famous victory.

"My father lived at Blenheim then,
Yon little stream hard by;
They burnt his dwelling to the ground,
And he was forced to fly;

So with his wife and child he fled,
Nor had he where to rest his head.

"With fire and sword the country round

Was wasted far and wide,

And many a childing mother then,
And new-born baby died;

But things like that, you know, must be
At every famous victory.

After the field was won;

"They say it was a shocking sight

For many thousand bodies here

Lay rotting in the sun;

But things like that, you know, must be After a famous victory.

"Great praise the Duke of Marlbro' won, And our good Prince Eugene." "Why 'twas a very wicked thing!"

Said little Wilhelmine.

"Nay, nay, my little girl," quoth he, "It was a famous victory.

"And everybody praised the Duke

Who this great fight did win."

"But what good came of it at last?" Quoth little Peterkin.

"Why that I cannot tell," said he, "But 'twas a famous victory."

STANZAS WRITTEN IN HIS LIBRARY

My days among the Dead are past; Around me I behold,

Where'er these casual eyes are cast,

The mighty minds of old;

My never failing friends are they, With whom I converse day by day.

CHARLES LAMB

FROM A FAREWELL TO TOBACCO

May the Babylonish curse

Straight confound my stammering verse,

If I can a passage see

In this word-perplexity,

Or a language to my mind

(Still the phrase is wide or scant),

To take leave of thee, Great Plant!
Or in any terms relate

Half my love, or half my hate;
For I hate, yet love, thee so,
That, whichever thing I show,
The plain truth will seem to be
A constrain'd hyperbole,

And the passion to proceed

Knygos