Long alleys falling down to twilight grots, Or opening upon level plots Of crowned lilies, standing near Purple-spiked lavender: Whither in after life retired From weary wind, With youthful fancy reinspired, We may hold converse with all forms And those whom passion hath not blinded, ADELINE. I. MYSTERY of mysteries, Take the heart from out my breast. II. Whence that aery bloom of thine, III. What hope or fear or joy is thine? Hast thou heard the butterflies With what voice the violet wooes Or when little airs arise, To the mosses underneath? IV. Some honey-converse feeds thy mind, In love with thee forgets to close And those dew-lit eyes of thine, In your eye there is death, The wild-bird's din. In the heart of the garden the merry bird chants, It would fall to the ground if you came in. With a low melodious thunder; And in her raiment's hem was traced in It springs on a level of bowery lawn, And the mountain draws it from Heaven above, flame WISDOM, a name to shake And when she spake, All evil dreams of power-a sacred name. And it sings a song of undying love; And yet, tho' its voice be so clear and full, You never would hear it; your ears are so dull; Her words did gather thunder as they ran, And as the lightning to the thunder Which follows it, riving the spirit of man, Making earth wonder, So was their meaning to her words. No sword Of wrath her right arm whirl'd, But one poor poet's scroll, and with his word She shook the world. THE POET'S MIND. I. VEX not thou the poet's mind For thou canst not fathom it. Clear and bright it should be ever, Flowing like a crystal river; Bright as light, and clear as wind. II. Dark-brow'd sophist, come not anear; Holy water will I pour Of the laurel-shrubs that hedge it around. So keep where you are: you are foul with sin; It would shrink to the earth if you came in. THE SEA-FAIRIES. SLOW sail'd the weary mariners and saw, Betwixt the green brink and the running foam, Sweet faces, rounded arms, and bosoms prest To little harps of gold; and while they mused, Whispering to each other half in fear, Shrill music reach'd them on the middle sea. Whither away, whither away, whither away? fly no more. Whither away from the high green field, and the happy blossoming shore? Day and night to the billow the fountain calls; Down shower the gambolling waterfalls From wandering over the lea: Out of the live-green heart of the dells High over the full-toned sea : Hither, come hither and frolic and play; | O listen, listen, your eyes shall glisten Here it is only the mew that wails; And the rainbow forms and flies on the land Over the islands free; And the rainbow lives in the curve of the sand; Hither, come hither and see; When the sharp clear twang of the golden chords Runs up the ridged sea. Who can light on as happy a shore THE DESERTED HOUSE. I. And the rainbow hangs on the poising LIFE and Thought have gone away wave, And sweet is the color of cove and cave, We will kiss sweet kisses, and speak sweet words: O listen, listen, your eyes shall glisten With pleasure and love and jubilee : Side by side, Leaving door and windows wide Careless tenants they ! II. All within is dark as night: |