Than speak against this ardent listlessness: For I have ever thought that it might bless The world with benefits unknowingly ; As does the nightingale, up-perched high, And cloister'd among cool and bunched leaves— She sings but to her love, nor e'er conceives How tiptoe Night holds back her dark-grey hood. Just so may love, although 'tis understood The mere commingling of passionate breath, Produce more than our searching witnesseth: What I know not: but who, of men, can tell That flowers would bloom, or that green fruit would swell
To melting pulp, that fish would have bright mail, The earth its dower of river, wood, and vale, The meadows runnels, runnels pebble-stones, The seed its harvest, or the lute its tones, Tones ravishment, or ravishment its sweet, If human souls did never kiss and greet ?
Now, if this earthly love has power to make Men's being mortal, immortal; to shake Ambition from their memories, and brim Their measure of content; what merest whim, Seems all this poor endeavour after fame, To one, who keeps within his stedfast aim A love immortal, an immortal too.
Look not so wilder'd; for these things are true, And never can be born of atomies
That buzz about our slumbers, like brain-flies, Leaving us fancy-sick. No, no, I'm sure, My restless spirit never could endure To brood so long upon one luxury, Unless it did, though fearfully, espy A hope beyond the shadow of a dream. My sayings will the less obscured seem When I have told thee how my waking sight
Has made me scruple whether that same night Was pass'd in dreaming. Hearken, sweet Peona ! Beyond the matron-temple of Latona,
Which we should see but for these darkening boughs,
Lies a deep hollow, from whose ragged brows Bushes and trees do lean all round athwart, And meet so nearly, that with wings outraught, And spreaded tail, a vulture could not glide Past them, but he must brush on every side. Some moulder'd steps lead into this cool cell, Far as the slabbed margin of a well, Whose patient level peeps its crystal eye Right upward, through the bushes, to the sky. Oft have I brought thee flowers, on their stalks set Like vestal primroses, but dark velvet
Edges them round, and they have golden pits : "Twas there I got them, from the gaps and slits In a mossy stone, that sometimes was my seat, When all above was faint with mid-day heat. And there in strife no burning thoughts to heed, I'd bubble up the water through a reed;
So reaching back to boyhood: make me ships Of moulted feathers, touchwood, alder chips, With leaves stuck in them; and the Neptune be Of their petty ocean. Oftener, heavily, When lovelorn hours had left me less a child, I sat contemplating the figures wild.
Of o'er-head clouds melting the mirror through. Upon a day, while thus I watch'd, by flew A cloudy Cupid, with his bow and quiver; So plainly character'd, no breeze would shiver The happy chance: so happy, I was fain To follow it upon the open plain,
And, therefore, was just going; when, behold! A wonder, fair as any I have told-
The same bright face I tasted in my sleep,
Smiling in the clear well. My heart did leap Through the cool depth.—It moved as if to fleeI started up, when lo! refreshfully,
There came upon my face, in plenteous showers, Dew-drops, and dewy buds, and leaves, and flowers, Wrapping all objects from my smother'd sight, Bathing my spirit in a new delight.
Ay, such a breathless honey-feel of bliss Alone preserved me from the drear abyss Of death, for the fair form had gone again. Pleasure is oft a visitant; but pain Clings cruelly to us, like the gnawing sloth On the deer's tender haunches: late, and loth, 'Tis scared away by slow-returning pleasure. How sickening, how dark the dreadful leisure Of weary days, made deeper exquisite, By a foreknowledge of unslumbrous night! Like sorrow came upon me, heavier still, Than when I wander'd from the poppy hill: And a whole age of lingering moments crept Sluggishly by, ere more contentment swept Away at once the deadly yellow spleen. Yes, thrice have I this fair enchantment seen; Once more been tortured with renewed life. When last the wintry gusts gave over strife With the conquering sun of spring, and left the skies
Warm and serene, but yet with moisten'd eyes In pity of the shatter'd infant buds,- That time thou didst adorn, with amber studs, My hunting-cap, because I laugh'd and smiled, Chatted with thee, and many days exiled All torment from my breast;-'twas even then, Straying about, yet, coop'd up in the den Of helpless discontent,―hurling my lance From place to place, and following at chance, At last, by hap, through some young trees it struck,
And, plashing among bedded pebbles, stuck In the middle of a brook,- -whose silver ramble Down twenty little falls through reeds and bramble, Tracing along, it brought me to a cave,
Whence it ran brightly forth, and white did lave The nether sides of mossy stones and rock,- 'Mong which it gurgled blithe adieus, to mock Its own sweet grief at parting. Overhead Hung a lush screen of drooping weeds, and spread Thick, as to curtain up some wood-nymph's bome. Ah! impious mortal, whither do I roam!'
Said I, low-voiced: 'Ah, whither! 'Tis the grot Of Proserpine, when Hell, obscure and hot, Doth her resign: and where her tender hands She dabbles on the cool and sluicy sands; Or 'tis the cell of Echo, where she sits, And babbles thorough silence, till her wits Are gone in tender madness, and anon, Faints into sleep, with many a dying tone Of sadness. O that she would take my vows, And breathe them sighingly among the boughs, To sue her gentle ears for whose fair head, Daily, I pluck sweet flowerets from their bed, And weave them dyingly-send honey-whispers Round every leaf, that all those gentle lispers May sigh my love unto her pitying! O charitable Echo! hear, and sing This ditty to her!-tell her'-So I stay'd My foolish tongue, and listening, half afraid, Stood stupefied with my own empty folly, And blushing for the freaks of melancholy. Salt tears were coming, when I heard my name Most fondly lipp'd, and then these accents came. 'Endymion! the cave is secreter
Than the isle of Delos. Echo hence shall stir No sighs but sigh-warm kisses, or light noise Of thy combing hand, the while it travelling cloys
And trembles through my labyrinthine hair.' At that oppress'd, I hurried in.-Ah! where Are those swift moments! Whither are they fled? I'll smile no more, Peona; nor will wed Sorrow, the way to death; but patiently Bear up against it: so farewell, sad sigh; And come instead demurest meditation, To occupy me wholly, and to fashion My pilgrimage for the world's dusky brink. No more will I count over, link by link, My chain of grief: no longer strive to find A half-forgetfulness in mountain wind Blustering about my ears: ay, thou shalt see, Dearest of sisters, what my life shall be; What a calm round of hours shall make my days. There is a paly flame of hope that plays Where'er I look: but yet, I'll say 'tis nought- And here I bid it die. Have not I caught, Already, a more healthy countenance ? By this the sun is setting; we may chance Meet some of our near-dwellers with my car."
This said, he rose, faint-smiling like a star Through autumn mists, and took Peona's hand: They stept into the boat, and launch'd from land.
SOVEREIGN power of love! O grief!
All records, saving thine, come cool, and calm,
And shadowy, through the mist of passed years: For others, good or bad, hatred and tears
Have become indolent; but touching thine,
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