Nowfromthemeadowfloodsthewildduckclamours,Nowthewoodpigeonwingsarapidflight,Nowthehomewardrookeryfollowsupitsvanguard,Andthevalleymistsarecurlingupthehills。
Threeshortsongsgestheclear-voicedthrostle,Sweeteningthetwilighterehefillsthenest;
WhilethelittlebirdupontheleaflessbranchesTweetstoitsmateatinylongnote。
Deeperthestillnesshangsoneverymotion;
Calmerthesilencefollowseverycall;
Nowallisquietsavetheroostingpheasant,Thebell-wether’stinkleandthewatch-dog’sbark。
Softlyshinethelightsfromthesilentkindlinghomestead,Starsofthehearthtotheshepherdinthefold;
Springsofdesiretothetravellerontheroadway;
Everbreathingincensetotheever-blessingsky!
Howbarrenwouldthisvalleybe,WithoutthegoldenorbthatgazesOnit,broadeningtohuesOfrose,andspreadingwingsofamber;
Blessingitbeforeitfallsasleep。
Howbarrenwouldthisvalleybe,WithoutthehumanlesnowbeatingInit,orthethrobbingheartsFardistant,whotheirflowerofchildhoodCherishhere,andwateritwithtears!
HowbarrenshouldIbe,wereI
Withoutabovethatlongsplendour,Sheddinglightandwarmth!withoutSomekindrednaturesofmykindTojoyinme,oryearntowardsmenow!
Summerglowswarmonthemeadows,andspeedwell,andgold-cups,anddaisiesDarken’middeepeningmassesofsorrel,andshadowygrassesShowtheripehuetothefarmer,andsummonthescytheandthehay-
makersDownfromthellage;andnow,evennow,theairsmellsofthemowing,Andthesharpsongofthescythewhistlesdaily;fromdawn,tillthegloamingWearsitscoolstar,sweetandwelcometoallflamingfacesafieldnow;
Healyweighsthehotseason,anddrowsesthedarkeningfoliage,Droopingwithlanguor;thewhitecloudfloats,butsailsnot,forwindlessHeaven’sbluetentsit;nolarksingingupinitsfleecywhitevalleys;
Upinitsfairywhitevalleys,oncefeatheredwithminstrels,melodiousWiththeinsiblejoythatwakesdawno’erthegreenfieldsofEngland。
Summerglowswarmonthemeadows;thencome,letusroamthro’themgaily,Heedlessofheat,andthehot-kissingsun,andthefearofdarkfreckles。
Neveronekisswillhegeonaneck,oralily-whiteforehead,Chin,hand,orbosomuncovered,allpanting,totakethechancecoolness,Butfullsurethefierypressureleavessealofespousal。
Heedhimnot;come,tho’hekisstillthesoftlittleupper-liplosesHalfitspurewhiteness;justspeck’dwherethecurveoftherosymouthreddens。
Come,lethimkiss,lethimkiss,andhiskissesshallmaketheethesweeter。
Thouartnonun,veiledandvowed;doomedtonourishawitheringpallor!
Cityexoticsbesidetheewouldshowlikebleachedlinenatmid-day,Hunguponhedgesofeglantine!Thouinthefreedomofnature,Fullofherbeautyandwisdom,gentleness,joyance,andkindness!
Come,andlikebeeswillwegathertherichgoldenhoneyofnoontide;
Deepinthesweetsummermeadows,border’dbyhillsideandrer,Linedwithlongtrencheshalf-hidden,wheresmellofwhitemeadow-
sweet,sweetest,Blissfullyhovers——Osweetest!butpluckitnot!eveninthetenderestGraspitwilllosebreathandwither;likemany,notmadeforaposy。
See,thesunslopesdownthemeadows,wherealltheflowersarefalling!
Fallingunhymned;forthenightingalescarceevercharmsthelongtwilight:
Mutewiththecaresofthenest;onlyknownbya’chuck,chuck,’anddovelikeCallofcontent,butthefinchandthelinnetandblackcappipeloudly。
Roundonthewesternhill-sidewarblestherich-billedouzel;
Andtheshrillthrostleisfillingthetangledthickeningcopses;
Singingo’erhyacinthshid,andmosthoney’dofflowers,whitefield-rose。
Joythustorevelalldayinthegrassofourownbelovedcountry;
Revelallday,tillthelarkmountsatevewithhissweet’tirra-
lirra’:
Trillingdelightfully。See,ontherertheslow-rippledsurfaceShining;theslowripplebroadensincircles;thebrightsurfacesmoothens;
Nowitisflatastheleavesoftheyetunseenwater-lily。
Theredartthelesofaday,ever-varyingtacticsfantastic。
There,bythewet-mirroredosiers,theemeraldwingofthekingfisherFlashes,thefishinhisbeak!therethedab-chickded,andthemotionLazilyundulatesallthro’thetallstandingarmyofrushes。
Joythustorevelallday,tillthetwilightturnsushomeward!
Tillallthelingeringdeep-bloomingsplendourofsunsetisover,Andtheonestarshinesmildlyinmellowinghues,likeaspiritSenttoassureusthatlightneverdieth,tho’dayisnowburied。
Saying:to-morrow,to-morrow,fewhoursintervening,thatintervalTunedbythewoodlarkinheaven,to-morrowmysemblance,fareastward,Heraldstheday’tismymissioneternaltosealandtoprophecy。
Comethen,andhomeward;passingdowntheclosepathofthemeadows。
Homelikethebeesstoredwithsweetness;eachwithalarkinthebosom,Trillingforever,andoh!willyonlarkeverceasetosingupthere?
Oskylark!Iseetheeandcalltheejoy!
Thywingsbeartheeuptothebreastofthedawn;
Iseetheenomore,butthysongisstillThetongueoftheheavenstome!
ThusarethedayswhenIwasaboy;
SweetwhileIledinthem,dearnowthey’regone:
Ifeelthemnolonger,butstill,OstillTheytelloftheheavenstome。
WhenbudsofpalmdoburstandspreadTheirdownyfeathersinthelane,Andorchardblossoms,whiteandred,BreatheSpringdelightforAutumngain;
Andtheskylarkshakeshiswingsintherain;
Othenistheseasontolookforabride!
Chooseherwarily,wooherunseen;
ForthechoicestmaidsarethosethathideLikedewyoletsunderthegreen。
Whennutsbehindthehazel-leafArebrownasthesquirrelthathuntsthemfree,Andthefieldsarerichwiththesun-burntsheaf,’Midthebluecornflowerandtheyellowingtree;
Andthefarmerglowsandbeamsinhisglee;
Othenistheseasontowedtheeabride!
Erethegarnersarefilledandtheale-cupsfoam;
ForasmilinghostessistheprideAndflowerofeveryHarvestHome。
Burythysorrows,andtheyshallriseAssoulstotheimmortalskies,Andtherelookdownlikemothers’eyes。
Butletthyjoysbefreshasflowers,Thatsuckthehoneyoftheshowers,Andbloomalikeonhutsandtowers。
Soshallthydaysbesweetandbright;
Solemnandsweetthystarrynight,Consciousofloveeachchangeoflight。
Thestarswillwatchtheflowersasleep,Theflowerswillfeelthesoftstarsweep,Andbothwillmsensationsdeep。
Withthesebelow,withthoseabove,Sitsevermorethebroodingdove,Unitingbothinbondsoflove。
Forbothbynatureareakin;
Sorrow,theashenfruitofsin,Andjoy,thejuiceoflifewithin。
Childrenofeartharethese;andthoseThespiritsofdinerepose-
Deathradianto’erallhumanwoes。
O,thinkwhatthenhadbeenthydoom,IfhomelessandwithoutatombTheyhadbeenlefttohauntthegloom!
O,thinkagainwhatnowtheyare-
Motherlylove,tho’dimandfar,Imagedineverylustrousstar。
Forthey,intheirsalvation,knowNovestigeoftheirformerwoe,Whilethro’themalltheheavensdoflow。
Thusartthouweddedtotheskies,Andwatchedbyever-longeyes,Andwarnedbyyearningsympathies。
SONG
Theflowerunfoldsitsdawningcup,Andtheyoungsundrinksthestar-dewsup,Ateveitdroopswiththeblissofday,Anddreamsinthemidnightfaraway。
SoamIinthysole,sweetglancePressedwithaweightofutterance;
Longlyallmyleavesunfold,Andgleamtothebeamsofthirstygold。
AteveIdroop,forthentheswellOffeelingfaltersforthfarewell;-
AtmidnightIamdreamingdeep,Ofwhathasbeen,inblissfulsleep。
When——ah!whenwilllove’sownfightWedmealikethro’dayandnight,WhenwillthestarswiththeirlinkingcharmsWakeusineachother’sarms?
ThoutomeartsuchaspringAstheArabseeksateve,Thirstyfromtheshiningsands;
Theretobathehisfaceandhands,Whilethesunistakingleave,Anddewysleepisadeliciousthing。
ThoutomeartsuchadreamAshedreamsuponthegrass,WhilethebubblingcoolnessnearMakessweetmusicinhisear;
AndthestarsthatslowlypassInsolitarygrandeuro’erhimgleam。
ThoutomeartsuchadawnAsthedawnwhoseruddykissWakeshimtohisdarlingsteed;
Andagainthedesertspeed,Andagainthedesertbliss,Lightensthro’hisveins,andheisgone!
TheburiedvoicebespakeAntigone。
’Osister!couldstthouknow,asthouwiltknow,Theblissabove,thereverencebelow,Enkindledbythysacrificeforme;
ThouwouldstatoncewithholyecstasyGethywarmlimbsintotheyearningearth。
Sleep,Sister!forElysium’sdawningbirth,-
Andfaithwillfilltheewithwhatistobe!
Sleep,fortheGodsarewatchingoverthee!
Thydreamwillsteertheetoperformtheirwill,Assilentlytheirinfluencetheyinstil。
OSister!inthesweetnessofthyprime,Thyhandhaspluckedthebitterflowerofdeath;
ButthiswilldowertheewithElysianbreath,Thatfadeintoanever-fadingclime。
DeartotheGodsarethosethatdoliketheeAsolemnduty!forthetyrannyOfkingsisfeebletothesoulthatdaresDefythemtofulfilitssacredcares:
Andweakagainstamightywillaremen。
O,Torchbetweentwobrothers!inwhosegleamOurslaughteredHousedothshineasoneagain,Tho’severedbythesword;nowmaythydreamKindledesireintheeforus,andthou,Forgettingnotthyloverandhisvow,Leangnohumanmemoryforgot,Shaltcross,notunattended,thedarkstreamWhichrunsbytheeinsleepandripplesnot。
Thelargestarsglitterthro’theanousnight,Andthedeepskybroodslowtolookatthee:
Theairishush’danddarko’erlandandsea,Andalliswaitingforthemorrowlight:
Sodothykindredspiritswaitforthee。
OSister!softasonthedownwardrill,WillthosefirstdaybeamsfromthedistanthillFallonthesmoothnessofthyplacidbrow,Likethiscalmsweetnessbreathingthro’menow:
Andwhenthefatedsoundsshallwakethineeyes,Wiltthou,confidinginthesupremewill,Inallthymaidensteadfastnessarise,Firmtoobeyandearnesttofulfil;
Rememberingthenightthoudidstnotsleep,Andthissamebroodingskybeheldtheecreep,Defiantofunnaturaldecree,TowhereIlayupontheoutcastland;
Beforetheirongatesupontheplain;
Awretched,gravelessghost,whosewailingchillCametothydarkeneddoorimploringthee;
Yearningforburiallikemybrotherslain;-
Andallwasdaredforloveandpiety!
ThisthoughtwillnerveagainthyrginhandToserveitspurposeanditsdestiny。’
Shewoke,theyledherforth,andallwasstill。
Swathedroundinmistandcrown’dwithcloud,OMountain!hidfrompeaktobase-
CaughtupintotheheavensandclaspedInwhiteetherealarmsthatmakeThymysteryofsizesublime!
WhateyeorthoughtcanmeasurenowThygranddilatingloftiness!
WhatgiantcrestdisputewiththeeSupremacyofairandsky!
Whatfabledheightwiththeecompare!
Notthosene-terracedhillsthatseetheThelavaintheirfierycusps;
Northathigh-climbingrobeofsnow,Whosesummitstouchthemorningstar,Andbreathethethinnestairoflife;
Norcrocus-couchingIda,warmWithJuno’slatestnuptiallure;
NorTenedoswhosedreamyeyeStilllooksuponbeleagueredTroy;
NoryetOlympuscrown’dwithgodsCanboastamajestylikethine,OMountain!hidfrompeaktobase,AndimageoftheawfulpowerWithwhichthesecretofallthings,Thatstoopsfromheaventogarmentearth,Canspeaktoanyhumansoul,WhenoncetheearthlylimitsloseTheirpointedheightsandsharpenedlines,AndmeasurelessimmensityIspalpabletosenseandsight。
No,no,thefallingblossomisnosignOflovelinessdestroy’dandsorrowmute;
Theblossomshedsitslovelinessdine;-
Itsmissionistoprophecythefruit。
Noristhedayofloveforeverdead,Whenyoungenchantmentandromancearegone;
Theveilisdrawn,butallthefuturedreadIslightenedbythefingerofthedawn。
Lovemoveswithlifealongadarkerway,Theycastashadowandtheycallitdeath:
Butrichisthefulfilmentoftheirday;
Thepurerpassionandthefirmerfaith。