he sun he went,
And slew two more upon the bent.
And on the bent where dead he lay
Three howes do men behold to-day.
And never a word spake Snaebiorn yet,
Till in his saddle he was set.
Nor was there any heard his voice,
_So many times over comes summer again_,
Till he came to his ship in Grimsar-oyce.
_What healing in summer if winter be vain_?
On so fair a day they hoisted sail,
_So many times over comes summer again_,
And for Norway well did the wind avail.
_What healing in summer if winter be vain_?
But Snaebiorn looked aloft and said:
"I see in the sail a stripe of red:
Murder, meseems, is the name of it
And ugly things about it flit.
A stripe of blue in the sail I see:
Cold death of men it seems to me.
And next I see a stripe of black,
For a life fulfilled of bitter lack."
Quoth one, "So fair a wind doth blow
That we shall see Norway soon enow."
"Be blithe, O shipmate," Snaebiorn said,
"Tell Hacon the Earl that I be dead."
About the midst of the Iceland main
Round veered the wind to the east again.
And west they drave, and long they ran
Till they saw a land was white and wan.
"Yea," Snaebiorn said, "my home it is,
Ye bear a man shall have no bliss.
Far off beside the Greekish sea
The maidens pluck the grapes in glee.
Green groweth the wheat in the English land
And the honey-bee flieth on every hand.
In Norway by the cheaping town
The laden beasts go up and down.
In Iceland many a mead they mow
And Hallgerd's grave grows green enow.
But these are Gunnbiorn's skerries wan
Meet harbour for a hapless man.
In all lands else is love alive,
But here is nought with grief to strive.
Fail not for a while, O eastern wind,
For nought but grief is left behind.
And before me here a rest I know,"
_So many times over comes summer again_,
"A grave beneath the Greenland snow,"
_What healing in summer if winter be vain_?
ECHOES OF LOVE'S HOUSE.
Love gives every gift whereby we long to live
"Love takes every gift, and nothing back doth give."
Love unlocks the lips that else were ever dumb:
"Love locks up the lips whence all things good might come."
Love makes clear the eyes that else would never see:
"Love makes blind the eyes to all but me and thee."
Love turns life to joy till nought is left to gain:
"Love turns life to woe till hope is nought and vain."
Love, who changest all, change me nevermore!
"Love, who changest all, change my sorrow sore!"
Love burns up the world to changeless
|