MARIANA IN THE SOUTH. I. WITH One black shadow at its feet, The house thro' all the level shines, In glaring sand and inlets bright. But "Ave Mary," made she moan, To live forgotten, and love forlorn." II. 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, Still-lighted in a secret shrine, Her melancholy eyes divine, The home of woe without a tear. And "Ave Mary," was her moan, Madonna, sad is night and morn;" And "Ah," she sang, "to be all alone, To live forgotten, and love forlorn." III. Till all the crimson changed, and past Before Our Lady murmur'd she; Complaining, "Mother, give me grace And on the liquid mirror glow'd The clear perfection of her face. 66 Is this the form," she made her moan, 66 "That won his praises night and morn?” And "Ah," she said, "but I wake alone, I sleep forgotten, I wake forlorn." IV. Nor bird would sing, nor lamb would bleat, Nor any cloud would cross the vault, But day increased from heat to heat, On stony drought and steaming salt; Till now at noon she slept again, And seem'd knee-deep in mountain grass, And heard her native breezes pass, And runlets babbling down the glen. 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." V. 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." VI. And, rising, from her bosom drew Old letters, breathing of her worth, For "Love," they said, "must needs be true, To what is loveliest upon earth." An image seem'd to pass the door, To look at her with slight, and say, "But now thy beauty flows away, So be alone for evermore." 66 O cruel heart," she changed her tone, "And cruel love, whose end is scorn, Is this the end to be left alone, To live forgotten, and die forlorn!" VII. But sometimes in the falling day An image seem'd to pass the door, "But thou shalt be alone no more." |