Serenade. Awake! arise! and let me see Thine eyes, whose deeps epitomize All dawns that were or are to be, O love, all Heaven in thine eyes!→→ Behold! the dawn is up: behold! How all the birds around her float, Let me but hear thee and rejoice! 701 See, where she comes, with limbs of day, Where lies in happy sleep a girl so fair! For ye have power, men say, Our hearts in sleep to sway, And cage cold fancies in a moonlight snare. Round ivory neck and arm Enclasp a separate charm; Hang o'er her poised, but breathe nor sigh nor prayer: Silently ye may smile, But hold your breath the while, And let the wind sweep back your cloudy hair! Bend down your glittering urns, Ere yet the dawn returns, And star with dew the lawn her feet shall tread; Upon the air rain balm, Bid all the woods be calm, Ambrosial dreams with healthful slumbers wed; That so the Maiden may With smiles your care repay, When from her couch she lifts her golden head; Ere yet the misty herds Leave warm 'mid the gray grass their dusky bed. 1 Aubrey Thomas De Vere [1814-1902] LINES TO AN INDIAN AIR I ARISE from dreams of thee The wandering airs they faint Like sweet thoughts in a dream; As I must die on thine, O beloved as thou art!, O lift me from the grass! I die, I faint, I fail! Let thy love in kisses rain My cheek is cold and white, alas! Percy Bysshe Shelley [1792-1822] Serenade 703 GOOD-NIGHT GOOD-NIGHT? ah! no; the hour is ill Then it will be good night. How can I call the lone night good, To hearts which near each other move They never say good-night. Percy Bysshe Shelley [1792-1822] SERENADE From "Sylvia" AWAKE thee, my lady-love, Wake thee and rise! The sun through the bower peeps Into thine eyes! Behold how the early lark Springs from the corn! Hark, hark how the flower-bird Winds her wee horn! The swallow's glad shriek is heard All through the air; The stock-dove is murmuring Loud as she dare! Apollo's winged bugleman Cannot contain, But peals his loud trumpet-call Once and again! . Then wake thee, my lady-love Bird of my bower! The sweetest and sleepiest Bird at this hour! George Darley [1795-1846) SERENADE Ан, sweet, thou little knowest how That tender thought of love and thee, Sleep on, sleep on, sweet bride of sleep! L And bless thee in thy silent bower; To me 'tis sweeter than the power Of sleep, and fairy dreams unfurled, That I alone, at this still hour, In patient love outwatch the world. I Thomas Hood [1799-1845] SERENADE Look out upon the stars, my love, And shame them with thine eyes, On which, than on the lights above, There hang more destinies. Night's beauty is the harmony Of blending shades and light: Then, lady, up,-look out, and be A sister to the night! Sleep not!-thine image wakes for aye. Within my watching breast; Sleep not! from her soft sleep should fly, Who robs all hearts of rest. Serenade Nay, lady, from thy slumbers break, And make this darkness gay, With looks whose brightness well might make Of darker nights a day. 705 Edward Coate Pinkney [1802-1828] SERENADE HIDE, happy damask, from the stars, On which the dreams of midnight sail; The silken secrets of the room. Ah! dearest! may the elves that sway And one perhaps shall whisper thus: While thou art reveling with us, He watches in the lonely street. ,』 ན, ༣,)』 Far down yon western steeps, 1 Sink, sink in silver light! |