 | The Poetical Works of Aubrey De Vere |  |
41
STANZAS
WRITTEN WHILE SAILING DOWN THE ADRIATIC.
1
By many an isle and forest peakIn darker purple gushing
The Adrian eddies stream and break,
And our light boat is rushing.
Warm airs from under a full moon
Against our foreheads pant,
And fan each bright and blue lagoon
Warm airs from the Levant.
2
Our bark runs down the watery slopeWith tremulous sail out-blown,
Like Love down banks half-flowered, or Hope
Warbling o'er fields new-sown.
Eager as youth or vernal prime,
As swift as darting swallows,
The omens of a milder clime
She scents far off, and follows!
42
3
Ausonia yet stern Winter sways:But Spring thus far hath flung
Her breath before her on the ways
Her feet shall tread ere long.
Even now vague smells of promised bowers
Float feebly o'er the shoals—
Thus softly float o'er Lethe's flowers
The body-waiting souls.
4
Great Dian mocks her brother's beamsWith light as wide though colder:
Not from her brow alone it streams,
But half her breast and shoulder!
Old Ocean laughs in dream, or wakes
In smiles to meet her glance;
No rock so dun but shines and shakes
Beneath her silver lance.
5
On, winged bark, into the South!If other breeze were none,
This music freshening from my mouth
Alone might waft thee on!
On, wild Swan, to the realms of light!
Though all thy plumes were rent,
Our rushing souls might wing thy flight
Into the Orient!
| The Poetical Works of Aubrey De Vere | |