FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   >>  
en; and thou to me wouldst turn With awe-struck eyes, and cling to me and yearn, With sighs full tender and a touch of fear. And, like a bird which knows that spring is near, And, after spring, the summer of sweet days, Thou wouldst attune thy love-notes in mine ear. x. Or, fraught with feelings near akin to hate, Thou wouldst denounce me; and, like one elate, Thou wouldst entwine me in thine arms so white, As soldier-nymphs, with rapt and raging sight, Made war with spearsmen in the vales of song, The vales of Sparta where, for right or wrong, The gods were potent, and, for beauty's sake, Upheld the tourneys of the fair and strong. xi. I would not seem too wilful in the heat Of our encounter, or with sighs repeat Too fierce a vow. I would throughout confess Thy murderous mirth, thy conquering loveliness, And then subdue thee! Tears would not avail Nor prayer, nor praise; and, flush'd the while or pale, Thou shouldst be mine, my hostage in the night, Without the option of a moment's bail. xii. Thou shouldst be mine! My hopes, from first to last, Would win their way; and, lithe and love-aghast, And all unnerv'd, thou wouldst, as in a dream Entreat my pardon! I would callous seem To thine out-yearning. I would cast on thee A questioning look, and then, upon my knee, I would surrender to that face of thine Which is the great world's wonder unto me. xiii. O Heaven! could this be done, and I fulfil One half my wish, and curb thee to my will, I were a prompter and a prouder man Than earth has known since light-foot lovers ran For Atalanta, lov'd of men and boys. I were a kaiser then, a king of joys, And fit to play with high-begotten pomps As children play with pebbles or with toys. xiv. O Golden Hair! O Gladness of an Hour Made flesh and blood! O beauteous Human Flower Too sweet to pluck, and yet, though seeming-cold, Ordain'd to love! I pray thee, as of old, Be kind to me. I saw thee yesternight, And for an instant I was urged to plight My troth again; for in thy face I saw What seem'd a smile evoked for my delight. xv. Re-grant thy favour! Take me by the hand And lead me back again to thine own land, The nook supreme, the sanctum in the glen Where pixies walk,--unknown to peevish men And shrew-like women whom no faith uplifts! Show me the place where Nature keeps the gifts She most approves, and where the song-birds dwell, And I'll forego the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   >>  



Top keywords:
wouldst
 

shouldst

 

spring

 

kaiser

 

begotten

 
Gladness
 
Golden
 

children

 
pebbles
 

fulfil


forego

 

Heaven

 
prompter
 

lovers

 
Atalanta
 

prouder

 
favour
 
delight
 

evoked

 

supreme


uplifts

 

peevish

 

unknown

 

sanctum

 

pixies

 

Ordain

 

approves

 

beauteous

 

Flower

 

Nature


plight

 
yesternight
 

instant

 

raging

 

spearsmen

 
Sparta
 

nymphs

 
entwine
 

soldier

 
wilful

strong
 

beauty

 
potent
 
Upheld
 

tourneys

 

tender

 
struck
 

feelings

 
fraught
 

denounce