A MATCH. Our lives would grow together If I were what the words are, If you were life my darling, If you were thrall to sorrow, 109 And tears of night and morrow, If you were April's lady, We'd throw with leaves for hours, If you were queen of pleasure, If you were queen of pleasure ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE. COME INTO THE GARDEN, MAUD. Garden Song. Come into the garden, Maud, For the black bat, night, has flown; COME INTO THE GARDEN, MAUD. 111 Come into the garden, Maud, I am here at the gate alone; And the woodbine spices are wafted abroad, And the musk of the roses blown. For a breeze of morning moves, And the planet of Love is on high, Beginning to faint in the light that she loves, On a bed of daffodil sky, To faint in the light of the sun she loves, To faint in the light, and to die. All night have the roses heard All night has the casement jessamine stirred Till a silence fell with the waking bird, I said to the lily, "There is but one With whom she has heart to be gay. Low on the sand and loud on the stone I said to the rose, "The brief night goes O young lord-lover, what sighs are those, But mine, but mine," so I sware to the rose, And the soul of the rose went into my blood, And long by the garden lake I stood, For I heard your rivulet fall From the lake to the meadow, and on to the wood, Our wood that is dearer than all; From the meadow your walks have left so sweet That whenever a March-wind sighs, He sets the jewel-print of your feet In violets blue as your eyes, To the woody hollows in which we meet, The slender acacia would not shake The white lake blossom fell into the lake The lilies and roses were all awake, They sighed for the dawn and thee. COME INTO THE GARDEN, MAUD. 113 Queen rose of the rose-bud garden of girls, In gloss of satin and glimmer of pearls, Shine out, little head, sunning over with curls, There has fallen a splendid tear From the passion-flower at the gate. The red rose cries, "She is near, she is near;" And the lily whispers, "I wait." She is coming, my own, my sweet; ALFRED TENNYSON. |