Volume Ii Part 38 (1/2)

Thomas...o...b..rne Davis [1814-1845]

URANIA

She smiles and smiles, and will not sigh, While we for hopeless pa.s.sion die; Yet she could love, those eyes declare, Were but men n.o.bler than they are.

Eagerly once her gracious ken Was turned upon the sons of men; But light the serious visage grew-- She looked, and smiled, and saw them through.

Our petty souls, cur strutting wits, Our labored, puny pa.s.sion-fits-- Ah, may she scorn them still, till we Scorn them as bitterly as she!

Yet show her once, ye heavenly Powers, One of some worthier race than ours!

One for whose sake she once might prove How deeply she who scorns can love.

His eyes be like the starry lights; His voice like sounds of summer nights; In all his lovely mien let pierce The magic of the universe!

And she to him will reach her hand, And gazing in his eyes will stand, And know her friend, and weep for glee, And cry, Long, long I've looked for thee!

Then will she weep--with smiles, till then Coldly she mocks the sons of men.

Till then her lovely eyes maintain Their pure, unwavering, deep disdain.

Matthew Arnold [1822-1888]

THREE SHADOWS

I looked and saw your eyes in the shadow of your hair, As a traveler sees the stream in the shadow of the wood;-- And I said, ”My faint heart sighs, ah me! to linger there, To drink deep and to dream in that sweet solitude.”

I looked and saw your heart in the shadow of your eyes, As a seeker sees the gold in the shadow of the stream; And I said, Ah, me! what art should win the immortal prize, Whose want must make life cold and Heaven a hollow dream?”

I looked and saw your love in the shadow of your heart, As a diver sees the pearl in the shadow of the sea; And I murmured, not above my breath, but all apart,-- ”Ah! you can love, true girl, and is your love for me?”

Dante Gabriel Rossetti [1828-1882]

SINCE WE PARTED

Since we parted yester eve, I do love thee, love, believe, Twelve times dearer, twelve hours longer,-- One dream deeper, one night stronger, One sun surer,--thus much more Than I loved thee, love, before.

Edward Robert Bulwer Lytton [1831-1891]

A MATCH

If love were what the rose is, And I were like the leaf, Our lives would grow together In sad or singing weather, Blown fields or flowerful closes, Green pleasure or gray grief; If love were what the rose is, And I were like the leaf.

If I were what the words are, And love were like the tune, With double sound and single Delight our lips would mingle, With kisses glad as birds are That get sweet rain at noon; If I were what the words are, And love were like the tune.

If you were life, my darling, And I your love were death, We'd s.h.i.+ne and snow together Ere March made sweet the weather With daffodil and starling And hours of fruitful breath; If you were life, my darling, And I your love were death.

If you were thrall to sorrow, And I were page to joy, We'd play for lives and seasons With loving looks and treasons And tears of night and morrow And laughs of maid and boy; If you were thrall to sorrow, And I were page to joy.

If you were April's lady, And I were lord in May, We'd throw with leaves for hours And draw for days with flowers, Till day like night were shady And night were bright like day; If you were April's lady, And I were lord in May.