Demand of lilies wherefore they are white, Extort her crimson secret from the rose, But ask not of the Muse that she disclose The meaning of the riddle of her might: Somewhat of all things sealed and recondite, Save the enigma of herself, she knows. The master could not tell, with all his lore, Wherefore he sang, or whence the mandate sped: Even as the linnet sings, so I, he said ;- All woodland chants immortally prevail ! fled, He with diviner silence dwells instead, No more, O never now, Lord of the lofty and the tranquil brow Have fallen, nor wintry rime, Shall men behold thee, sage and mage sublime. Once, in his youth obscure, The maker of this verse, which shall endure By splendor of its theme that cannot die, And touched through thee the hand Even to the sire of all the laurelled line, brine, The poet doth remain. Dead is Augustus, Maro is alive; And thou, the Mantuan of our age and clime, Like Virgil shalt thy race and tongue survive, Bequeathing no less honeyed words to time, Embalmed in amber of eternal rhyme, And rich with sweets from every Muse's hive; While to the measure of the cosmic rune For purer ears thou shalt thy lyre attune, And heed no more the hum of idle praise In that great calm our tumults cannot reach, Master who crown'st our immelodious days With flower of perfect speech. Till he can cast this earth behind And breathe in heaven secure. We sing of Life, with stormy breath And born in toils of Fate's control, Thy spirit knows nor bounds nor bars; But I am fettered to the sod, And fruitless knowledge clouds my soul, I wonder, will you ever wake, For, we have heard, for all men born Its golden garners for the corn, The poppies' puckered helpless leaves, No hate so hard, no love so bold And when you crave for rest And we will find a quiet place For your still sepulchre, Sweet as your kisses were, And with hushed voices void of mirth Spread the light turf above, Soft as the silk you loved on earth As much as you could love. Few tears, but once, our eyes shall shed, But come and look upon your bed |