SONGFROMHEINE
Iscannedherpicturedreaming,TilleachdearlineandhueWasimaged,tomyseeming,Asifitlivedanew。
HerlipsbegantoborrowTheirformerwondroussmile;
Herfaireyes,faintwithsorrow,Grewsparklingaserstwhile。
SuchtearsasoftenrannotRanthen,mylove,forthee;
AndO,believeIcannotThatthouarelosttome!
FROMVICTORHUGO
Child,wereIking,I'dyieldmyroyalrule,Mychariot,sceptre,vassal—servicedue,Mycrown,myporphyry—basinedwaterscool,Myfleets,wheretotheseaisbutapool,Foraglancefromyou!
Love,wereIGod,theearthanditsheavingairs,Angels,thedemonsabjectunderme,Vastchaoswithitsteemingwombylairs,Time,space,allwouldIgive—aye,upperspheres,Forakissfromthee!
CARDINALBEMBO'SEPITAPHONRAPHAEL
Here'soneinwhomNaturefeared—faintatsuchvying
Eclipsewhilehelived,anddeceaseathisdying。
"IHAVELIVEDWITHSHADES"
I
Ihavelivedwithshadessolong,Andtalkedtothemsooft,SinceforthfromcotandcroftIwentmankindamong,ThatsometimestheyIntheirdimstyleWillpauseawhileTohearmysay;
II
Andtakemebythehand,AndleadmethroughtheirroomsIntheTo—be,whereDoomsHalf—woveandshapelessstand:
AndshowfromthereThedwindleddustAndrotandrustOfthingsthatwere。
III
"Nowturn,"spaketheytomeOneday:"Lookwhencewecame,AndsignifyhisnameWhogazesthenceatthee。"
—"NornamenorraceKnowI,orcan,"
Isaid,"OfmanSocommonplace。
IV
"Hemovesmenotatall;
InotenorayorjotOfrarenessinhislot,Orstarexceptional。
IntothedimDeadthrongsaroundHe'llsink,norsoundBeleftofhim。"
V
"Yet,"saidthey,"hisfrailspeech,Hathaccentspitchedlikethine
ThymouldandhisdefineAlikenesseachtoeach
Butgo!DeeppainAlas,wouldbeHisnametothee,Andtoldinvain!"
Feb。2,1899。
MEMORYANDI
"Omemory,whereisnowmyyouth,Whousedtosaythatlifewastruth?"
"IsawhiminacrumbledcotBeneathatotteringtree;
ThatheasphantomlingersthereIsonlyknowntome。"
"OMemory,whereisnowmyjoy,Wholivedwithmeinsweetemploy?"
"Isawhimingauntgardenslone,Wherelaughterusedtobe;
ThatheasphantomwandersthereIsknowntononebutme。"
"OMemory,whereisnowmyhope,Whochargedwithdeedsmyskillandscope?"
"Isawherinatomboftomes,Wheredreamsarewonttobe;
ThatsheasspectrehaunteththereIsonlyknowntome。"
"OMemory,whereisnowmyfaith,Onetimeachampion,nowawraith?"
"Isawherinaravagedaisle,Boweddownonbendedknee;
ThatherpoorghostoutflickersthereIsknowntononebutme。"
"OMemory,whereisnowmylove,Thatrayedmeasagodabove?"
"IsawhimbyanageingshapeWherebeautyusedtobe;
ThathisfondphantomlingersthereIsonlyknowntome。"
[GREEKTITLE]
LonghaveIframedweakphantasiesofThee,OWillermaskedanddumb!
WhomakestLifebecome,
Asthoughbylabouringall—unknowingly,Likeonewhomreveriesnumb。
HowmuchofconsciousnessinformsThywillThybiddings,asifblind,Ofdeath—inducingkind,NoughtshowstousephemeraloneswhofillButmomentsinThymind。
PerhapsThyancientrote—restrictedwaysThyripeningruletranscends;
ThatlistlessefforttendsTogrowpercipientwithadvanceofdays,Andwithpercipiencemends。
For,inunwontedpurlieus,farandnigh,Atwhilesorshortorlong,MaybediscernedawrongDyingasofself—slaughter;whereatI
Wouldraisemyvoiceinsong。
Footnotes:
{1}The"Race"istheturbulentsea—areaofftheBillofPortland,wherecontrarytidesmeet。
{2}Pronounce"Loddy。"
{3}Onalonelytable—landabovetheValeofBlackmore,betweenHigh—StoyandBubb—Downhills,andcommandinginclearweatherviewsthatextendfromtheEnglishtotheBristolChannel,standsapillar,apparentlymediaeval,calledCross—and—HandorChrist—in—Hand。Amongotherstoriesofitsoriginalocaltraditionpreservestheoneheregiven。