Sun-ripen'd give their blushes up to God; And mountain-rocks and cloudy steeps are riv'n By founts of fire, as smitten by the rod Of heavenly Moses,-that your thirsty sense May quench its longings of magnificence ! XX. "Yet suns shall perish--stars shall fade awayDay into darkness-darkness into death Death into silence; the warm light of day, The blooms of summer, the rich glowing breath Of even—all shall wither and decay, Like the frail furniture of dreams beneath The touch of morn-or bubbles of rich dyes That break and vanish in the aching eyes." XXI. They hear, soul-blushing, and repentant shed Unwholesome thoughts in wholesome tears, and pour Their sin to earth,-and with low drooping head XXII. The lowly grass !-O water-constant mind! Of serious thought, as if the gushing wind Through the low porch had wash'd it from the face For ever!-How they lift their eyes to find Old vanities!-Pride wins the very place Of meekness, like a bird, and flutters now With idle wings on the curl-conscious brow! XXIII. And lo! with eager looks they seek the way To feast on feathers, and on vain array, And painted cheeks, and the rich glistering state Of jewel-sprinkled locks.—But where are they, The graceless haughty ones that used to wait With lofty neck, and nods, and stiffen'd eye?None challenge the old homage bending by. XXIV. In vain they look for the ungracious bloom And lofty Pride has stiffen'd to the core, XXV. The aged priest goes on each sabbath morn, But shakes not sorrow under his gray hair; The solemn clerk goes lavender'd and shorn, Nor stoops his back to the ungodly pair;And ancient lips that pucker'd up in scorn, Go smoothly breathing to the house of pray'r; And in the garden-plot, from day to day, The lily blooms its long white life away. XXVI. And where two haughty maidens used to be, In pride of plume, where plumy Death had trod, Trailing their gorgeous velvets wantonly, Most unmeet pall, over the holy sod ; There, gentle stranger, thou may'st only see nod Age, with sapient Marking the spot, still tarries to declare How they once lived, and wherefore they are there. VOL. I. THE TWO SWANS. A FAIRY TALE. I. IMMORTAL Imogen, crown'd queen above Whose youth was darkly prison'd and long twined By serpent-sorrow, till white Love drew near, And sweetly sang him free, and round his mind A bright horizon threw, wherein no grief may wind. II. I saw a tower builded on a lake, Mock'd by its inverse shadow, dark and deep- In sable ringlets I beheld him creep Blackest amid black shadows to the ground, Whilst his enormous head the topmost turret crown'd. III. From whence he shot fierce light against the stars, Making the pale moon paler with affright; And with his ruby eye out-threaten'd Mars— That blazed in the mid-heavens, hot and bright Nor slept, nor wink'd, but with a steadfast spite Watch'd their wan looks and tremblings in the skies; And that he might not slumber in the night, The curtain-lids were pluck'd from his large eyes, So he might never drowse, but watch his secret prize. IV. Prince or princess in dismal durance pent, Victims of old Enchantment's love or hate, Their lives must all in painful sighs be spent, Watching the lonely waters soon and late, And clouds that pass and leave them to their fate, Or company their grief with heavy tears :— Meanwhile that Hope can spy no golden gate For sweet escapement, but in darksome fears They weep and pine away as if immortal years. |