The Poetical Works of Ernest Christopher Dowson Edited, with an introduction, by Desmond Flower |
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TRANSIT GLORIA |
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 | The Poetical Works of Ernest Christopher Dowson |  |
145
TRANSIT GLORIA
A gleam thro' the darkness
Of years and of days,
A transient lifting
Of misery's haze!
Of years and of days,
A transient lifting
Of misery's haze!
A sound of soft music,
A momentary lull,
Of this foul gnawing ennui,
Then all things grow dull.
A momentary lull,
Of this foul gnawing ennui,
Then all things grow dull.
A rift in life's shadow,
Brief even as vain,
The madness of pleasure,
The sadness of pain.
Brief even as vain,
The madness of pleasure,
The sadness of pain.
A dream of hope crownèd
In days of despair;
A vision of beauty
In Vanity Fair.
In days of despair;
A vision of beauty
In Vanity Fair.
Like sweet children's voices,
To one usèd long,
To harsh-laughing harlots'
Lascivious song.
To one usèd long,
To harsh-laughing harlots'
Lascivious song.
Like snow-drops in winter,
Like soft summer rain,
Like sleep to the weary
And harassed by pain.
Like soft summer rain,
Like sleep to the weary
And harassed by pain.
146
Like long cherished memories,
Death-white with regret,
Too sad to remember,
Too sweet to forget.
Death-white with regret,
Too sad to remember,
Too sweet to forget.
Dreams of what might have been,
Ere terrors were rife,
A pause in the passion,
The fever of life.
Ere terrors were rife,
A pause in the passion,
The fever of life.
A verdant oasis,
With all around sand,
A gush of blue violets,
The touch of a hand.
With all around sand,
A gush of blue violets,
The touch of a hand.
A meeting, a parting,
For aeons and years;
A smile changing quickly
To passionate tears.
For aeons and years;
A smile changing quickly
To passionate tears.
Ah gone is the phantom
Of hope and delight,
And faded the vision
In infinite night.
Of hope and delight,
And faded the vision
In infinite night.
Life's wave bears me onward
A rudderless bark;
Somewhere in the future,
Death looms in the dark.
A rudderless bark;
Somewhere in the future,
Death looms in the dark.
147
The current flows faster,
Loud waileth the wind;
All sweet things and faces
Fade fainter behind.
Loud waileth the wind;
All sweet things and faces
Fade fainter behind.
The end cometh surely,
And each weary wave
Brings nearer and nearer,
The haven, the grave.
And each weary wave
Brings nearer and nearer,
The haven, the grave.
And soon from her labour,
Tired mem'ry will cease
And infinite slumber
Bring infinite peace.
Tired mem'ry will cease
And infinite slumber
Bring infinite peace.
'Twas but for a moment
This rift thro' the days,
This transient lifting
Of misery's haze.
This rift thro' the days,
This transient lifting
Of misery's haze.
| The Poetical Works of Ernest Christopher Dowson | |