And manners, climates, councils, governments, Myself not least, but honored of them all, 15 And drunk delight of battle with my peers, 20 Forever and forever when I move. Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends, 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world. To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths 60 It may be that the gulfs will wash us It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles, And see the great Achilles, whom we knew. 25 Though much is taken, much abides; and though 65 We are not now that strength which in old days Were all too little, and of one to me And this gray spirit yearning in desire 30 Here about the beach I wandered, nourishing a youth sublime With the fairy tales of science, and the long result of time; When the centuries behind me like a fruitful land reposed; Love took up the harp of Life, and smote on all the chords with might; Smote the chord of Self, that, trembling, passed in music out of sight. Many a morning on the moorland did we hear the copses ring, 35 When I clung to all the present for the And her whisper thronged my pulses with promise that it closed; the fulness of the spring. In the spring a livelier iris changes on the Falser than all fancy fathoms, falser than burnished dove; all songs have sung, In the spring a young man's fancy lightly Puppet to a father's threat, and servile to turns to thoughts of love. 20 a shrewish tongue! As I have seen the rosy red flushing in the And the grossness of his nature will have northern night. And she turned-her bosom shaken with a sudden storm of sighs weight to drag thee down. He will hold thee, when his passion shall have spent its novel force, All the spirit deeply dawning in the dark Something better than his dog, a little of hazel eyes— Saying, "I have hid my feelings, fearing they should do me wrong; Saying, "Dost thou love me, cousin?" weeping, "I have loved thee long." 30 Love took up the glass of Time, and turned it in his glowing hands; Every moment, lightly shaken, ran itself in golden sands. dearer than his horse. 50 What is this? his eyes are heavy; think not they are glazed with wine. Go to him, it is thy duty; kiss him, take his hand in thine. It may be my lord is weary, that his brain is overwrought; Soothe him with thy finer fancies, touch him with thy lighter thought. He will answer to the purpose, easy things to understand 55 Better thou wert dead before me, though Drug thy memories, lest thou learn it, lest thy heart be put to proof, In the dead unhappy night, and when the rain is on the roof. Better thou and I were lying, hidden from Like a dog, he hunts in dreams, and thou the heart's disgrace, art staring at the wall, Rolled in one another's arms, and silent in Where the dying night-lamp flickers, and a last embrace. the shadows rise and fall. 80 Where is comfort? in division of the records Oh, the child too clothes the father with a of the mind?. dearness not his due. Can I part her from herself, and love her, Half is thine and half is his; it will be as I knew her, kind? 70 worthy of the two. I remember one that perished; sweetly Oh, I see thee old and formal, fitted to thy did she speak and move; Such a one do I remember, whom to look at was to love. Can I think of her as dead, and love her for the love she bore? No-she never loved me truly; love is love for evermore. petty part, With a little hoard of maxims preaching down a daughter's heart. Comfort? comfort scorned of devils! this is Overlive it-lower yet-be happy! where |
