Volume I Part 7 (2/2)
Many a brake of brushwood covert, Where cold darkness slumbers mute, Slips a shrub to thwart her pa.s.sage, Slides a hand to clutch her foot.
Glens and glades of lushest verdure Toil her in their tawny mesh, Wilder-woofed ways and alleys Lock her struggling limbs in leash.
Feathery gra.s.ses, flowery mosses, Knot themselves to make her trip; Sprays and stubborn sprigs outstretching Put a bridle on her lip;
Many a winding lane betrays her, Many a sudden bosky shoot, And her knee makes many a stumble O'er some hidden damp old root,
Whose quaint face peers green and dusky 'Mongst the matted growth of plants, While she rises wild and weltering, Speeding on with many pants.
Tangles of the wild red strawberry Spread their freckled trammels frail; In the pathway creeping brambles Catch her in their th.o.r.n.y trail.
All the widely sweeping greensward s.h.i.+fts and swims from knoll to knoll; Grey rough-fingered oak and elm wood Push her by from bole to bole.
Groves of lemon, groves of citron, Tall high-foliaged plane and palm, Bloomy myrtle, light-blue olive, Wave her back with gusts of balm.
Languid jasmine, scrambling briony, Walls of close-festooning braid, Fling themselves about her, mingling With her wafted looks, waylaid.
Twisting bindweed, honey'd woodbine, Cling to her, while, red and blue, On her rounded form ripe berries Dash and die in gory dew.
Running ivies dark and lingering Round her light limbs drag and twine; Round her waist with languorous tendrils Reels and wreathes the juicy vine;
Reining in the flying creature With its arms about her mouth; Bursting all its mellowing bunches To seduce her husky drouth;
Crowning her with amorous cl.u.s.ters; Pouring down her sloping back Fresh-born wines in glittering rillets, Following her in crimson track.
Buried, drenched in dewy foliage, Thus she glimmers from the dawn, Watched by every forest creature, Fleet-foot Oread, frolic Faun.
Silver-sandalled Arethusa Not more swiftly fled the sands, Fled the plains and fled the sunlights, Fled the murmuring ocean strands.
O, that now the earth would open!
O, that now the shades would hide!
O, that now the G.o.ds would shelter!
Caverns lead and seas divide!
Not more faint soft-lowing Io Panted in those starry eyes, When the sleepless midnight meadows Piteously implored the skies!
Still her breathless flight she urges By the sanctuary stream, And the G.o.d with golden swiftness Follows like an eastern beam.
Her the close bewildering greenery Darkens with its duskiest green, - Him each little leaflet welcomes, Flus.h.i.+ng with an orient sheen.
Thus he nears, and now all Tempe Rings with his melodious cry, Avenues and blue expanses Beam in his large l.u.s.trous eye!
All the branches start to music!
As if from a secret spring Thousands of sweet bills are bubbling In the nest and on the wing.
Gleams and s.h.i.+nes the gla.s.sy river And rich valleys every one; But of all the throbbing beauty Brightest! singled by the sun!
Ivy round her glimmering ancle, Vine about her glowing brow, Never sure was bride so beauteous, Daphne, chosen nymph, as thou!
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