And your jewell'd gauds surrender In the pines the thrush is waking- When the lamps are paled at morning, Pluck no more red roses, maidens, Pluck, pluck cypress, O pale maidens, Shall I ask, what faded mourner Stands, at daybreak, weeping by my side?... THE VOICE. As the kindling glances, Queen-like and clear, Which the bright moon lances From her tranquil sphere At the sleepless waters Of a lonely mere, On the wild whirling waves, mournfully, mournfully, Shiver and die. As the tears of sorrow Mothers have shed- When the flower they flow for Lies frozen and dead Fall on the throbbing brow, fall on the burning breast, Bringing no rest. Like bright waves that fall With a lifelike motion On the lifeless margin of the sparkling Ocean; So sad, and with so wild a start So drearily and doubtfully, And oh, with such intolerable change Of thought, such contrast strange, In vain, all, all in vain, They beat upon mine ear again, Those melancholy tones so sweet and still. Those lute-like tones which in the bygone year Blew such a thrilling summons to my will, Yet could not shake it; Made my tost heart its very life-blood spill, YOUTH'S AGITATIONS. WHEN I shall be divorced, some ten years hence, From this poor present self which I am now; When youth has done its tedious vain expense Of passions that for ever ebb and flow; Shall I not joy youth's heats are left behind, Then I shall wish its agitations back, And sigh that one thing only has been lent THE WORLD'S TRIUMPHS. So far as I conceive the world's rebuke 'Behold,' she cries, so many rages lull'd, So many fiery spirits quite cool'd down; Look how so many valours, long undull'd, After short commerce with me, fear my frown! Thou too, when thou against my crimes wouldst cry, Hast thou so rare a poison?-let me be STAGIRIUS.3 THOU, who dost dwell alone- From the cradle to the grave Save, oh! save. From the world's temptations, From tribulations, From that fierce anguish Wherein we languish, From that torpor deep Wherein we lie asleep, Heavy as death, cold as the grave, When the soul, growing clearer, Sees God no nearer; When the soul, mounting higher, Mounts at her side, Foiling her high emprise, Sealing her eagle eyes, And, when she fain would soar, Changing the pure emotion To a skin-deep sense Of her own eloquence; Strong to deceive, strong to enslave- From the ingrain'd fashion Of this earthly nature That mars thy creature; From grief that is but passion, Save, oh! save. From doubt, where all is double; Hungry, and barren, and sharp as the sca- O let the false dream fly, Tossing continually! O where thy voice doth come Let all doubts be dumb, Let all words be mild, All pains beguiled! |