The Singer's Prelude 2901 hing strangely vague, and sweet, and sad, Fair, fragile, slender; rful, yet not daring to be glad, And oh, so tender! not reach the outer world at all, Despite its growing; poem-bud such cold winds fall To blight its blowing. whatever may the thing betide, Free life or fetter, rt, just to have held it till it died, Will be the better! Mary Ashley Townsend [1832-1901] THE SINGER'S PRELUDE From "The Earthly Paradise ven or Hell I have no power to sing, >t ease the burden of your fears, te quick-coming death a little thing, g again the pleasure of past years, my words shall ye forget your tears, e again for aught that I can say, e singer of an empty day. rather, when aweary of your mirth, ull hearts still unsatisfied ye sigh, eling kindly unto all the earth, every minute as it passes by, he more mindful that the sweet days die, ber me a little then, I pray, e singer of an empty day. heavy trouble, the bewildering care eighs us down who live and earn our bread, dle verses have no power to bear; ne sing of names remembered, Dreamer of dreams, born out of my due time, To those who in the sleepy region stay, Folk say, a wizard to a northern king At Christmas-tide such wondrous things did show, So with this Earthly Paradise it is, Where tossed about all hearts of men must be; William Morris [1834-1896] A PRELUDE SPIRIT that moves the sap in spring, Let mine be the freshening power Let some procreant truth exhale ng Into Chapman's Homer 2903 sound seed be wanting where gin soil feels sun and air, gs to fill a higher state, et my meanings germinate. my strength be spilled for naught, some fresher vessel caught, ded into sweeter forms, ught with purer aims and charms. om-dust of my life be blown ken hearts that flower alone; my knees let scions rise eavenward-pointed destinies. en I fall, like some old tree, btile change makes mould of me, et earth show a fertile line e perfect wild-flowers leap and shine! Maurice Thompson [1844-1901] LOOKING INTO CHAPMAN'S HOMER -e I travelled in the realms of gold, ds in fealty to Apollo hold. ep-browed Homer ruled as his demesne: John Keats [1795-1821] THE ODYSSEY As one that for a weary space has lain As such an one were glad to know the brine The surge and thunder of the Odyssey. Andrew Lang [1844 THE DEAREST POETS WERE I to name, out of the times gone by, Shakespeare for all, but most, society. But which take with me, could I take but one? Shakespeare,- —as long as I was unoppressed With the world's weight, making sad thoughts intenser; But did I wish, out of the common sun To lay a wounded heart in leafy rest, And dream of things far off and healing,-Spenser. Leigh Hunt [1784-1859] FALSE POETS AND TRUE Look how the lark soars upward and is gone, Turning a spirit as he nears the sky! His voice is heard, but body there is none To fix the vague excursions of the eye. Poetry ongs are with us, though they die g music from the morning cloud. 2905 s reach us through the lapse of space: guished birds, a twittering race; rk and nightingale forlorn silences of night and morn. Thomas Hood [1799-1845] A SINGING LESSON and dear bought, as the proverb rehearses, held so, for ladies: but naught e good if the turn of the verse is Far-fetched and dear bought. wave should it sound, and the thought nd as light as the spray that disperses f the words for the garb thereof wrought. it shine through the sound as it pierces Algernon Charles Swinburne [1837-1909] POETRY e reality of things that seem; at transmuter, melting loss to gain, to love, and fining joy from pain. e waking, who am called the dream; e sun, all light reflects my gleam; e altar-fire within the fane; e force of the refreshing rain; e sea to which flows every stream; è utmost height there is to climb; |