65 Or from the crevice peer'd about. 70 77 80 Old faces glimmer'd thro' the doors, She only said, "My life is dreary, The sparrow's chirrup on the roof, Her sense; but most she loathed the hour She wept, "I am aweary, aweary, Oh God, that I were dead!" TO 1. CLEAR-HEADED friend, whose joyful scorn, Edged with sharp laughter, cuts atwain The knots that tangle human creeds, The wounding cords that bind and strain The heart until it bleeds, Ray-fringed eyelids of the morn Roof not a glance so keen as thine: 5 2. Low-cowering shall the Sophist sit; A gentler death shall Falsehood die, 10 15 20 25. 3. Weak Truth a-leaning on her crutch, Until she be an athlete bold, Those writhed limbs of lightning speed; Past Yabbok brook the livelong night, MADELINE. 1. THOU art not steep'd in golden languors, Ever varying Madeline. Thro' light and shadow thou dost range, Delicious spites and darling angers, 2. Smiling, frowning, evermore, Thou art perfect in love-lore. Of wealthy smiles: but who may know Who may know ? Frowns perfect-sweet along the brow Light-glooming over eyes divine, Like little clouds sun-fringed, are thine, Ever varying Madeline. Thy smile and frown are not aloof From one another, Each to each is dearest brother; 5 10 15 20 25 Hues of the silken sheeny woof 30 35 40 3. A subtle, sudden flame, By veering passion fann'd, About thee breaks and dances; O'erflows thy calmer glances, And o'er black brows drops down A sudden-curved frown: But when I turn away, Thou, willing me to stay, Wooest not, nor vainly wranglest; In a golden-netted smile; Then in madness and in bliss, Thy taper fingers amorously, 45 Again thou blushest angerly; And o'er black brows drops down A sudden-curved frown. |