THE ARRIVAL. All precious things, discovered late, For love in sequel works with fate, And draws the veil from hidden worth. He travels far from other skies His mantle glitters on the rocks- The bodies and the bones of those That strove in other days to pass, Are withered in the thorny close, Or scattered blanching in the grass. He gazes on the silent dead: 105 110 "They perished in their daring deeds." This proverb flashes through his head, "The many fail: the one succeeds." He comes, scarce knowing what he seeks: 115 He trusts to light on something fair; 120 For all his life the charm did talk About his path, and hover near With words of promise in his walk, And whispered voices in his ear. More close and close his footsteps wind; /2) The quiet chamber far apart. His spirit flutters like a lark, "Love, if thy tresses be so dark, How dark those hidden eyes must be ! THE REVIVAL. A touch, a kiss! the charm was snapt. A fuller light illumined all, A breeze through all the garden swept, A sudden hubbub shook the hall, And sixty feet the fountain leapt. 140 The hedge broke in, the banner blew, The butler drank, the steward scrawled, The fire shot up, the martin flew, The parrot screamed, the peacock squalled, The maid and page renewed their strife, 145 The palace banged, and buzzed and clackt, And all the long-pent stream of life Dashed downward in a cataract. And last of all the king awoke, And in his chair himself upreared, And yawned, and rubbed his face, and spoke, "By holy rood, a royal beard! How say you? we have slept, my lords. My beard has grown into my lap.” The barons swore, with many words, 'Twas but an after-dinner's nap. "Pardy," returned the king, "but still My joints are something stiff or so. My lord, and shall we pass the bill I mentioned half an hour ago?" The chancellor, sedate and vain, In courteous words returned reply: But dallied with his golden chain, And, smiling, put the question by. 150 155 160 THE DEPARTURE. And on her lover's arm she leant, And round her waist she felt it fold, And far across the hills they went In that new world which is the old : Across the hills, and far away Beyond their utmost purple rim, And deep into the dying day The happy princess followed him. "I'd sleep another hundred years, 165 170 O love, for such another kiss; "O wake forever, love," she hears, "O love, 't was such as this and this." And o'er them many a sliding star, 175 And many a merry wind was borne, And, streamed through many a golden bar, The twilight melted into morn. "O eyes long laid in happy sleep!" 180 "O happy sleep, that lightly fled!” "O happy kiss, that woke thy sleep!" "O love, thy kiss would wake the dead!" And o'er them many a flowing range Of vapor buoyed the crescent-bark, And, rapt through many a rosy change, "A hundred summers! can it be? 185 And whither goest thou, tell me where ! "/95 my father's court with me, "O seek For there are greater wonders there." And o'er the hills, and far away Beyond their utmost purple rim, Beyond the night, across the day, 195 Through all the world she followed him. MORAL. So, Lady Flora, take my lay, And if you find no moral there, Go look in any glass and say, What moral is in being fair. 00 O, to what uses shall we put The wildweed-flower that simply blows? And is there any moral shut Within the bosom of the rose ? |