That Benediction which the eclipsing Curse 480 Of birth can quench not, that sustaining Love Which, through the web of being blindly wove By man and beast and earth and air and sea, Burns bright or dim, as each are mirrors of The fire for which all thirst, now beams on me, Consuming the last clouds of cold mortality. The breath whose might I have invoked in song Descends on me; my spirit's bark is driven Far from the shore, far from the trembling throng Whose sails were never to the tempest given; 490 The massy earth and sphered skies are riven! The splendor of its prime; And leave, if naught so bright may live, All earth can take or Heaven can give. 30 Saturn and Love their long repose Shall burst, more bright and good Than all who fell, than One who rose, Than many unsubdued: Not gold, not blood, their altar dowers, 35 But votive tears and symbol flowers. Oh, cease! must hate and death return? Cease! must men kill and die? The world is weary of the past, 40 WHEN THE LAMP IS SHATTERED When the lamp is shattered, The light in the dust lies dead; When the cloud is scattered, The rainbow's glory is shed. When the lute is broken, Sweet tones are remembered not; When the lips have spoken, 5 Loved accents are soon forgot. ΙΟ 15 When hearts have once mingled, Love first leaves the well-built nest; The weak one is singled To endure what it once possessed. 20 5 O Love! who bewailest The frailty of all things here, Why choose you the frailest Now, in humbler, happier lot, For your cradle, your home, and your Imprisoned, for some fault of his, bier? Its passions will rock thee As the storms rock the ravens on high: Bright reason will mock thee, Like the sun from a wintry sky. From thy nest every rafter Will rot, and thine eagle home WITH A GUITAR, TO JANE Ariel to Miranda:-Take This slave of Music, for the sake When you die, the silent Moon, Is not sadder in her cell When you live again on earth, 25 30 In a body like a grave;— The artist who this idol wrought, To live in happier form again: 35 40 45 50 55 ΤΟ 15 20 25 30 star, The artist wrought this loved Guitar, And pattering rain, and breathing dew, Has tracked your steps, and served your By those who tempt it to betray These secrets of an elder day: 35 They alway must be with us, or we die. 45 Grows lush in juicy stalks, I'll smoothly |