The Home Book of Verse Volume Ii Part 38

Thomas...o...b..rne Davis [1814-1845]

URANIA

She smiles and smiles, and will not sigh, While we for hopeless pa.s.sion die; Yet she could love, those eyes declare, Were but men n.o.bler than they are.

Eagerly once her gracious ken Was turned upon the sons of men; But light the serious visage grew-- She looked, and smiled, and saw them through.

Our petty souls, cur strutting wits, Our labored, puny pa.s.sion-fits-- Ah, may she scorn them still, till we Scorn them as bitterly as she!

Yet show her once, ye heavenly Powers, One of some worthier race than ours!

One for whose sake she once might prove How deeply she who scorns can love.

His eyes be like the starry lights; His voice like sounds of summer nights; In all his lovely mien let pierce The magic of the universe!

And she to him will reach her hand, And gazing in his eyes will stand, And know her friend, and weep for glee, And cry, Long, long I've looked for thee!

Then will she weep--with smiles, till then Coldly she mocks the sons of men.

Till then her lovely eyes maintain Their pure, unwavering, deep disdain.

Matthew Arnold [1822-1888]

THREE SHADOWS

I looked and saw your eyes in the shadow of your hair, As a traveler sees the stream in the shadow of the wood;-- And I said, "My faint heart sighs, ah me! to linger there, To drink deep and to dream in that sweet solitude."

I looked and saw your heart in the shadow of your eyes, As a seeker sees the gold in the shadow of the stream; And I said, Ah, me! what art should win the immortal prize, Whose want must make life cold and Heaven a hollow dream?"

I looked and saw your love in the shadow of your heart, As a diver sees the pearl in the shadow of the sea; And I murmured, not above my breath, but all apart,-- "Ah! you can love, true girl, and is your love for me?"

Dante Gabriel Rossetti [1828-1882]

SINCE WE PARTED

Since we parted yester eve, I do love thee, love, believe, Twelve times dearer, twelve hours longer,-- One dream deeper, one night stronger, One sun surer,--thus much more Than I loved thee, love, before.

Edward Robert Bulwer Lytton [1831-1891]

A MATCH

If love were what the rose is, And I were like the leaf, Our lives would grow together In sad or singing weather, Blown fields or flowerful closes, Green pleasure or gray grief; If love were what the rose is, And I were like the leaf.

If I were what the words are, And love were like the tune, With double sound and single Delight our lips would mingle, With kisses glad as birds are That get sweet rain at noon; If I were what the words are, And love were like the tune.

If you were life, my darling, And I your love were death, We'd s.h.i.+ne and snow together Ere March made sweet the weather With daffodil and starling And hours of fruitful breath; If you were life, my darling, And I your love were death.

If you were thrall to sorrow, And I were page to joy, We'd play for lives and seasons With loving looks and treasons And tears of night and morrow And laughs of maid and boy; If you were thrall to sorrow, And I were page to joy.

If you were April's lady, And I were lord in May, We'd throw with leaves for hours And draw for days with flowers, Till day like night were shady And night were bright like day; If you were April's lady, And I were lord in May.

If you were queen of pleasure, And I were king of pain, We'd hunt down love together, Pluck out his flying-feather, And teach his feet a measure, And find his mouth a rein; If you were queen of pleasure, And I were king of pain.

Algernon Charles Swinburne [1837-1909]

A BALLAD OF LIFE

I found in dreams a place of wind and flowers, Full of sweet trees and color of glad gra.s.s, In midst whereof there was A lady clothed like summer with sweet hours, Her beauty, fervent as a fiery moon Made my blood burn and swoon Like a flame rained upon.

Sorrow had filled her shaken eyelids' blue, And her mouth's sad red heavy rose all through Seemed sad with glad things gone.

She held a little cithern by the strings, Shaped heartwise, strung with subtle-colored hair Of some dead lute player That in dead years had done delicious things.

The seven strings were named accordingly; The first string charity, The second tenderness, The rest were pleasure, sorrow, sleep, and sin, And loving kindness, that is pity's kin And is most pitiless.

There were three men with her, each garmented With gold, and shod with gold upon the feet; And with plucked ears of wheat.

The first man's hair was wound upon his head: His face was red, and his mouth curled and sad; All his gold garment had Pale stains of dust and rust.

A riven hood was pulled across his eyes; The token of him being upon this wise Made for a sign of l.u.s.t.

The next 'was Shame, with hollow heavy face Colored like green wood when flame kindles it.

He hath such feeble feet They may not well endure in any place.

His face was full of gray old miseries.

And all his blood's increase Was even increase of pain.

The last was Fear, that is akin to Death; He is Shame's friend, and always as Shame saith Fear answers him again.

My soul said in me: This is marvelous, Seeing the air's face is not so delicate Nor the sun's grace so great, If sin and she be kin or amorous.

And seeing where maidens served her on their knees, I bade one crave of these To know the cause thereof.

Then Fear said: I am Pity that was dead.

And Shame said: I am Sorrow comforted.

And l.u.s.t said: I am Love.

Thereat her hands began a lute-playing And her sweet mouth a song in a strange tongue; And all the while she sung There was no sound but long tears following Long tears upon men's faces, waxen white With extreme sad delight.

But those three following men Became as men raised up among the dead; Great glad mouths open, and fair cheeks made red With child's blood come again.

Then I said: Now a.s.suredly I see My lady is perfect, and transfigureth All sin and sorrow and death, Making them fair as her own eyelids be, Or lips wherein my whole soul's life abides; Or as her sweet white sides And bosom carved to kiss.

Now therefore, if her pity further me, Doubtless for her sake all my days shall be As righteous as she is.