Louise de la Valliaere and other poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

Like Elaine, with small dead hands
On her resting heart,
Cowslip hair in silken bands,
Dreaming lips apart,
Lieth Spring; in her wan face
Only white wild-rose hath place;
Eyes of dewy violet,
'Neath their snowdrop lids, forget.
Stilled is her sweet hawthorn breath,
And her kiss is cold in death;
She hath spilled her life-blood sweet
At her cruel lover's feet.

Ah! the morning when he came
Down the golden skies,
Flushed her flower-face, all aflame
For his passionate eyes;

But he turned, nor saw her there;
For the Summer, brown and fair,
Stood, with eyes of misty grey,
Cheeks like dawning of the day,
Lips like poppies wet with dew,
Sheeny hair of rust-gold hue—
Went to her, with arms outspread,
And the gentle Spring lay dead.

Now Queen Summer shares his throne;
She is fair of face;
But the King hath sigh and moan
For his young love's grace.
Here, her spirit wandereth;
When the wind doth bring a breath
Honey-sweet, the Spring is nigh,
And she goeth silently
Through the gold walls of the wheat;
For the love of her white feet
Silken corn-ears bend and break,
The thrush singeth for her sake,
In a wild, long roundelay,
All his passionate heart away.