The Poetical Works of George Barlow In Ten [Eleven] Volumes |
 | I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
 | VIII. |
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| I. |
| II. |
III. THE DAY AFTER |
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| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
 | The Poetical Works of George Barlow |  |
32
III. THE DAY AFTER
A silent morn—the storm had wholly passed,
The sunless ocean rested still and grey;
I sought the garden paths, the lawns green-grassed,
Where last night's feastful hours had slipped away.
The sunless ocean rested still and grey;
I sought the garden paths, the lawns green-grassed,
Where last night's feastful hours had slipped away.
Ah! in one night wild autumn's hand had flung
The spoil of months upon the sodden ground:
The trees where last night's graceful lanterns swung
Seemed now in sombre funeral robes enwound.
The spoil of months upon the sodden ground:
The trees where last night's graceful lanterns swung
Seemed now in sombre funeral robes enwound.
Their leaves that yesterday bore summer's green
And made believe that June's sky still was bright
Were robbed to-day of all their lustrous sheen,
Stained to disastrous russet in a night.
And made believe that June's sky still was bright
Were robbed to-day of all their lustrous sheen,
Stained to disastrous russet in a night.
Upon the lawns the brown sere leaves were strewn,
Mixed with some scattered lanterns' coloured shreds;
Bright paper globes that mocked the golden moon
Last night lay tattered on wet paths and beds.
Mixed with some scattered lanterns' coloured shreds;
Bright paper globes that mocked the golden moon
Last night lay tattered on wet paths and beds.
33
Among the heliotrope the mandarins
In hopeless wild forlorn confusion lay,
Blending their gorgeous reds and vivid greens
With purple flowers in desolate array.
In hopeless wild forlorn confusion lay,
Blending their gorgeous reds and vivid greens
With purple flowers in desolate array.
Where last night's graceful Juliet moved divine
A few damp planks and boards neglected frowned,
And sombre seemed the lawn's dark fringe of pine
That last night heard soft amorous laughter sound.
A few damp planks and boards neglected frowned,
And sombre seemed the lawn's dark fringe of pine
That last night heard soft amorous laughter sound.
Then through my soul there ran a sudden dread,
An icy terror—“Can this horror be?
Must soon all bright and joyous things be dead?
Is nought immortal save the storm and sea?
An icy terror—“Can this horror be?
Must soon all bright and joyous things be dead?
Is nought immortal save the storm and sea?
“Is even the sea itself with all its waves
Mortal? Hath time who slays each human form
The power to dig for oceans monstrous graves,
The strength to hush the trumpets of the storm?
Mortal? Hath time who slays each human form
The power to dig for oceans monstrous graves,
The strength to hush the trumpets of the storm?
“Is there one Spirit who gazing from on high
Sees planet after planet reach its goal,
Who sees each star within the starry sky
Enact its part, and every human soul,—
Sees planet after planet reach its goal,
Who sees each star within the starry sky
Enact its part, and every human soul,—
34
“Who then the farce being ended, says to all,
To last night's lovers and to moon and sun,
‘The play is over—let the curtain fall!
Pass into darkness, for your hour is done’?”
To last night's lovers and to moon and sun,
‘The play is over—let the curtain fall!
Pass into darkness, for your hour is done’?”
| The Poetical Works of George Barlow | |