THEVATICAN—SALADELLEMUSE
(1887)
IsatintheMuses'Hallatthemidoftheday,Anditseemedtogrowstill,andthepeopletopassaway,Andthechiselledshapestocombineinahazeofsun,TillbesideaCarraracolumntheregleamedforthOne。
Shewasnorthisnorthatofthosebeingsdivine,Buteachandthewhole—anessenceofalltheNine;
Withtentativefootshenearedtomyhalting—place,Apensivesmileonhersweet,small,marvellousface。
"Regardedsolong,werendertheesad?"saidshe。
"Notyou,"sighedI,"butmyowninconstancy!
Iworshipeachandeach;inthemorningone,Andthen,alas!anotheratsinkofsun。
"To—daymysoulclaspsForm;butwhereismytrothOfyesternightwithTune:canonecleavetoboth?"
—"Benotperturbed,"saidshe。"Thoughapartinfame,AsIandmysistersareone,those,too,arethesame。
—"Butmylovesgofurther—toStory,andDance,andHymn,Theloverofallinasun—sweepisfooltowhim
Isswayedlikeariver—weedastheripplesrun!"
—"Nay,wight,thousway'stnot。Thesearebutphasesofone;
"AndthatoneisI;andIamprojectedfromthee,Onethatoutofthybrainandheartthoucausesttobe
Externtotheenothing。Grievenot,northyselfbecall,Woowherethouwilt;andrejoicethoucanstloveatall!
ROME
ATTHEPYRAMIDOFCESTIUS
NEARTHEGRAVESOFSHELLEYANDKEATS
(1887)
Who,then,wasCestius,Andwhatishetome?
AmidthickthoughtsandmemoriesmultitudinousOnethoughtalonebringshe。
IcanrecallnowordOfanythinghedid;
FormeheisamanwhodiedandwasinterredToleaveapyramidWhosepurposewasexprestNotwithitsfirstdesign,Nortill,fardowninTime,besideitfoundtheirrestTwocountrymenofmine。
Cestiusinlife,maybe,Slew,breathedoutthreatening;
Iknownot。ThisIknow:indeathallsilentlyHedoesakindlierthing,InbeckoningpilgrimfeetWithmarblefingerhighTowhere,byshadowywallandhistory—hauntedstreet,Thosematchlesssingerslie
—Say,then,helivedanddiedThatstoneswhichbearhisnameShouldmark,throughTime,wheretwoimmortalShadesabide;
Itisanamplefame。
LAUSANNE
INGIBBON'SOLDGARDEN:11—12P。M。
June27,1897
(The110thanniversaryofthecompletionofthe"DeclineandFall"atthesamehourandplace)
Aspiritseemstopass,Formalinpose,butgraveandgrandwithal:
Hecontemplatesavolumestoutandtall,Andfarlampsfleckhimthroughthethinacacias。
Anonthebookisclosed,With"Itisfinished!"Andatthealley'sendHeturns,andsoononmehisglancesbend;
And,asfromearth,comesspeech—small,muted,yetcomposed。
"HowfarestheTruthnow?—Ill?
—Dopensbutslilyfurtherheradvance?
Mayonenotspeedherbutinphraseaskance?
DoscribesavertheComictobeReverendstill?
"StillrulethosemindsonearthAtwhomsageMilton'swormwoodwordswerehurled:
'TruthlikeabastardcomesintotheworldNeverwithoutill—fametohimwhogivesherbirth'?"
ZERMATT
TOTHEMATTERHORN
(June—July,1897)
Thirty—twoyearssince,upagainstthesun,Sevenshapes,thinatomiestolowersight,Labouringlyleaptandgainedthygabledheight,Andfourlivespaidforwhatthesevenhadwon。
Theywerethefirstbywhomthedeedwasdone,AndwhenIlookatthee,mymindtakesflightTothatday'stragicfeatofmanlymight,Asthough,tillthen,ofhistorythouhadstnone。
Yetageserementoppedthee,lateandsoonThouwatch'dsteachnighttheplanetsliftandlower;
Thougleam'dsttoJoshua'spausingsunandmoon,Andbrav'dstthetokeningskywhenCaesar'spowerApproacheditsbloodyend:yea,saw'stthatNoonWhendarknessfilledtheearthtilltheninthhour。
THEBRIDGEOFLODI{2}
(Spring,1887)
I
WhenoftendermindandbodyIwasmovedbyminstrelsy,Andthatstrain"TheBridgeofLodi"
Broughtastrangedelighttome。
II
Inthebattle—breathingjingleOfitsforward—footingtuneIcouldseethearmiesmingle,AndthecolumnscleftandhewnIII
Onthatfar—famedspotbyLodiWhereNapoleonclovehiswayTohisfame,whenlikeagodheBentthenationstohissway。
IV
HencethetunecamecaperingtomeWhileItracedtheRhoneandPo;
NorcouldMilan'sMarvelwoomeFromthespotenglamouredso。
V
Andto—day,sunlitandsmiling,HereIstanduponthescene,Withitssaffronwalls,duntiling,Anditsmeadsofmaidengreen,VI
EvenaswhenthetrackwaythunderedWiththechargeofgrenadiers,AndthebloodoffortyhundredSplasheditsparapetsandpiers
VII
AnyancientcroneI'dtoadyLikealassinyoung—eyedprime,CouldshetellsometaleofLodiAtthatmovingmightytime。
VIII
So,IaskthewivesofLodiFortraditionsofthatday;
Butalas!notanybodySeemstoknowofsuchafray。
IX
AndtheyheedbuttransitoryMarketingsincheeseandmeat,TillIjudgethatLodi'sstoryIsextinctinLodi'sstreet。
X
YetwhilehereandtheretheythridthemIntheirzesttosellandbuy,LetmesitmedownamidthemAndbeholdthosethousandsdie
XI
—NotacreaturecaresinLodiHowNapoleonswepteacharch,Orwhereupanddownwardtrodhe,OrforhismemorialMarch!
XII
SothatwhereforeshouldIbehere,WatchingAddalipthelea,WhenthewholeromancetoseehereIsthedreamIbringwithme?
XIII
Andwhysing"TheBridgeofLodi"
AsIsitthereonandswing,WhennoneshowsbysmileornodheGuesseswhyorwhatIsing?
XIV
SinceallLodi,lowandheadones,Seemtopassthatstoryby,ItmaybetheLodi—bredonesRateittruly,andnotI。
XV
OnceengrossingBridgeofLodi,Isthyclaimtoglorygone?
MustIpipeapalinody,Orbesilentthereupon?
XVI
Andifhere,fromstrandtosteeple,Benostonetofamethefight,MustIsaytheLodipeopleArebutviewingcrimearight?
XVII
Nay;I'llsing"TheBridgeofLodi"
Thatlong—loved,romanticthing,ThoughnoneshowbysmileornodheGuesseswhyandwhatIsing!