 | My Lyrical Life |  |
25
THE YOUTH AND THE ANGEL.
Once on a time, when Immortals
To earth came visibly down,
There went a Youth with an Angel
Through the gates of an Eastern Town:
They passed a Dog by the roadside,
Where dead and rotting it lay,
And the Youth, at the sickening odour,
Shuddered and turned away:
He gathered his robes about him
And hastily hurried thence;
But nought annoyed the Angel's
Clear, pure, immortal sense.
To earth came visibly down,
There went a Youth with an Angel
Through the gates of an Eastern Town:
They passed a Dog by the roadside,
Where dead and rotting it lay,
And the Youth, at the sickening odour,
Shuddered and turned away:
He gathered his robes about him
And hastily hurried thence;
But nought annoyed the Angel's
Clear, pure, immortal sense.
By came a Lady, lip-luscious,
On delicate tinkling feet:
All the place grew glad with her presence;
The air about her sweet;
For she came in fragrance floating;
Her voice most silverly rang;
And the Youth, to embrace her beauty,
With all his being sprang.
A sweet, delightsome Lady!
And yet, the Legend saith,
The Angel, while he passed her,
Shuddered and held his breath.
On delicate tinkling feet:
All the place grew glad with her presence;
The air about her sweet;
For she came in fragrance floating;
Her voice most silverly rang;
And the Youth, to embrace her beauty,
With all his being sprang.
A sweet, delightsome Lady!
And yet, the Legend saith,
The Angel, while he passed her,
Shuddered and held his breath.
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