In the lovely summer night,

Sharp-edged Sorrow waits to seize me; Death, from sorrow to release me

In the lovely summer night.

EROS HAS WARNING.

SHUT here thy burning gospel;

Thou and I must part, O Love!

Keep ambush for youth's gay spirits

To bear in thy car above;

Leave me slow to tread the earth-ball,

Who languidly live and move.

Wait not with thy wings where I issue

In the winter's cold and frost,

To carry me swift through the snow-drift, And the heavens, cloud-embossed:

I will take me a humbler airing,

Will travel at lowlier cost.

Thou foe of the task and the fireside,

Thou foe of the placid brow,

Thou tyrant of gentlest bosoms,

Seek other dominion now!

For my years

lie counted before me;

I must work to redeem a vow.

When thou passest, all in thy glory,
With thy rosy-bosomed crew;
When thy Pæan loud resoundeth,
And the World is crowned anew,
I'll not join the frantic strophe,
I'll not sing "Io” too.

A web of peace and of science
Hangs gathering in my loom,

And I work after thoughts of wisdom

That blot out our human doom;

And the garb I have wrapped around me

I shall carry it to the tomb.

So here I acknowledge, master,

Thy magical law and spell;

Oh! deeper than thought can fathom,

Oh! greater than words can tell;

Let us part from our hands' long clasping,

And solemnly bid farewell.

EROS DEPARTS.

LOVE that wert my being,

Love that passest death,
Am I here without thee,
Breathing human breath?
Moving, not to meet thee
On this summer morn?

While the Earth, new-cinctured,

Blyth and bloom adorn?

While the deep-hung branches,

Trailing, sweep the ground,

And the droning beetle

Spinneth round for round,