With rosy slender fingers backward drew From her warm brows and bosom her deep hair Ambrosial, golden round her lucid throat And shoulder; from the violets her light foot 175 Fostered the callow eaglet-from beneath Whose thick mysterious boughs in the dark morn The panther's roar came muffled, while I sat Low in the valley. Never, never more Shone rosy-white, and o'er her rounded Shall lone Enone see the morning mist 210 250 Across me: never child be born of me Unblest, to vex me with his father's eyes! "O mother, hear me yet before I die. Hear me, O earth. I will not die alone, Lest their shrill happy laughter come to me Walking the cold and starless road of death Uncomforted, leaving my ancient love 256 With the Greek woman. I will rise and go Down into Troy, and ere the stars come forth Talk with the wild Cassandra, for she says A fire dances before her, and a sound 260 Rings ever in her ears of armèd men. What this may be I know not, but I know That, whereso'er I am by night and day, All earth and air seem only burning fire." A DREAM OF FAIR WOMEN I read, before my eyelids dropped their shade, "The Legend of Good Women," long ago Sung by the morning-star of song, who made His music heard below; Dan Chaucer, the first warbler, whose sweet breath Preluded those melodious bursts that fill The spacious times of great Elizabeth With sounds that echo still. And, for a while, the knowledge of his art Held me above the subject, as strong gales Hold swollen clouds from raining, though my heart, Brimful of those wild tales, ΙΟ And clattering flints battered with clang- At last methought that I had wandered far ing hoofs; |