 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
LETHE.
There is a shore where shadows dwell,
With amaranth and the asphodel;
And lilies whiter far than snow,
With beds of nodding poppies blow;
While drowsy flowerets fleck the lea,
And lotos twines with latacé,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
With amaranth and the asphodel;
And lilies whiter far than snow,
With beds of nodding poppies blow;
While drowsy flowerets fleck the lea,
And lotos twines with latacé,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
231
Oblivion's dim and lazy lands,
Where figures flit on solemn sands;
And dreamy currents idly drop,
Through meadows green from mountain top;
And on their borders softly press,
The waters of forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
Where figures flit on solemn sands;
And dreamy currents idly drop,
Through meadows green from mountain top;
And on their borders softly press,
The waters of forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
No sun, nor moon, nor any star,
Within these restful regions are;
But reflex radiance in the sky,
And lights that droop but never die;
With humming like the distant bee,
Where Lethé widens to a sea—
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
Within these restful regions are;
But reflex radiance in the sky,
And lights that droop but never die;
With humming like the distant bee,
Where Lethé widens to a sea—
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
The holy hush of old romance,
Religious scenes and circumstance,
For ever bind these beauties round,
And thrill and clothe the pensive ground;
No discord there, nor dark distress,
But witchery of forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
Religious scenes and circumstance,
For ever bind these beauties round,
And thrill and clothe the pensive ground;
No discord there, nor dark distress,
But witchery of forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
O Inez, when my footsteps err,
My beacon and my comforter,
The guardian angel of my walk,
With guileless ways and winning talk;
When thou hast ceased to bloom and be,
My sister, wilt thou come with me,
Forgetfully, forgetfully?
My beacon and my comforter,
The guardian angel of my walk,
With guileless ways and winning talk;
When thou hast ceased to bloom and be,
My sister, wilt thou come with me,
Forgetfully, forgetfully?
For we have toiled and troubled long,
And madness mingled with our song;
But there is converse pure and calm,
Beneath the tall and tufted palm;
And solace will not be the less,
Because we feel forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
And madness mingled with our song;
But there is converse pure and calm,
Beneath the tall and tufted palm;
And solace will not be the less,
Because we feel forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
We'll wander on the shadowy shore,
Where sin and sorrow pain no more;
Where blessed Lethé scatters joy,
And suffering ceases to annoy;
Together will we go, and flee
Our genius sad, Monemosynè,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
Where sin and sorrow pain no more;
Where blessed Lethé scatters joy,
And suffering ceases to annoy;
Together will we go, and flee
Our genius sad, Monemosynè,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
And hand-in-hand, my sister dear,
We'll drink the waters cool and clear;
The balmy petals will we pluck,
And herbs with sleepy juices suck;
Eternal secrets will we guess,
That slumber in forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
We'll drink the waters cool and clear;
The balmy petals will we pluck,
And herbs with sleepy juices suck;
Eternal secrets will we guess,
That slumber in forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
232
Ah, brother, shall I know thee there,
When thou hast lost that brow of care;
And left thy anguish all behind,
Perchance to other breasts resigned?
And wilt thou pass, or bend on me,
Regardless looks of mystery,
Forgetfully, forgetfully?
When thou hast lost that brow of care;
And left thy anguish all behind,
Perchance to other breasts resigned?
And wilt thou pass, or bend on me,
Regardless looks of mystery,
Forgetfully, forgetfully?
It shall not be, if I repeat
The echoes of the anthem sweet,
We sang together when above;
Thine eyes will open to airs of love;
And then no music will express,
Our union of forgetfulness.
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
The echoes of the anthem sweet,
We sang together when above;
Thine eyes will open to airs of love;
And then no music will express,
Our union of forgetfulness.
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
And fondly pressing, side by side,
We'll bury in the soothing tide,
The burdens of the bitter past,
When heavens were cold and overcast;
We'll sink our sadness, and agree
To bear in mind no memory,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
We'll bury in the soothing tide,
The burdens of the bitter past,
When heavens were cold and overcast;
We'll sink our sadness, and agree
To bear in mind no memory,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
Yea, where the waves and margin meet,
We'll bathe our worn and weary feet,
And wash them white from dust and blood,
Within the soft and healing flood;
While brooding silence shall confess,
Our only creed, forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
We'll bathe our worn and weary feet,
And wash them white from dust and blood,
Within the soft and healing flood;
While brooding silence shall confess,
Our only creed, forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
There all is fragrant, fresh and fair,
With placid streams and purple air;
With golden lawns and levels green,
And happy hills that slope between;
There will we indolently see,
The fabrics of our fantasy,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
With placid streams and purple air;
With golden lawns and levels green,
And happy hills that slope between;
There will we indolently see,
The fabrics of our fantasy,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
Contentment crowns the head of each,
And loads the lips with honeyed speech;
While precious showers of fairy dew;
The bosom ravish and renew;
And welcome is the warm caress,
The enchantment of forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
And loads the lips with honeyed speech;
While precious showers of fairy dew;
The bosom ravish and renew;
And welcome is the warm caress,
The enchantment of forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
And O thou idol of my heart,
For whom these tender teardrops start,
Shall we not seek that sacred place?
And linger in a long embrace?
What enviable life, were we
To love through all eternity,
Forgetfully, forgetfully?
For whom these tender teardrops start,
Shall we not seek that sacred place?
And linger in a long embrace?
What enviable life, were we
To love through all eternity,
Forgetfully, forgetfully?
233
Though parted now, we'll mingle then,
With gentler maids and juster men;
We'll marry where the meadows close,
With slumbrous Lethé as it flows;
And on each other's cheeks impress,
The kisses of forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
With gentler maids and juster men;
We'll marry where the meadows close,
With slumbrous Lethé as it flows;
And on each other's cheeks impress,
The kisses of forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
Thy bridal wreath shall not decay;
Though brighter blossoms be away,
Yet virgin flowers shall smile, and put
Their sober colours at thy foot;
While magic blooms shall comfort thee,
And bind thy brows immortally,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
Though brighter blossoms be away,
Yet virgin flowers shall smile, and put
Their sober colours at thy foot;
While magic blooms shall comfort thee,
And bind thy brows immortally,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
Yea, fairy fruits shall yield thee rest,
And cool thy lips and calm thy breast;
Thy heart shall feel no hungry ache,
Nor throb of thirst thy soul awake;
But languor lightly shall oppress
Thy being, with forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
And cool thy lips and calm thy breast;
Thy heart shall feel no hungry ache,
Nor throb of thirst thy soul awake;
But languor lightly shall oppress
Thy being, with forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
I long to haunt that harmless sphere,
With all that truly love me here;
And sitting on those ghostly sands,
To dip my soiled and sinful hands—
To lave my face and wipe it free,
From every mark of misery,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
With all that truly love me here;
And sitting on those ghostly sands,
To dip my soiled and sinful hands—
To lave my face and wipe it free,
From every mark of misery,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
With wavering wings and faltering breath,
The Zephyr in it whispereth;
But what it sighs no creature knows,
Nor whence it comes and whither goes;
So quiet all and questionless,
Lapt in a deep forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
The Zephyr in it whispereth;
But what it sighs no creature knows,
Nor whence it comes and whither goes;
So quiet all and questionless,
Lapt in a deep forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
My loved ones, leave these surging seas,
For tranquil bowers and groves of ease;
To greener pastures will we turn,
And drink our fill from Lethé's urn;
Ah, long and sweet that draught shall be,
Of waters still that lick the lea,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
For tranquil bowers and groves of ease;
To greener pastures will we turn,
And drink our fill from Lethé's urn;
Ah, long and sweet that draught shall be,
Of waters still that lick the lea,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
Why labour ye, and till the loam,
When Lethé is our lightsome home?
Then fly from fields where gladness fades,
And enter in the peaceful shades.
We are sick of earthly stir and stress,
And would put on forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
When Lethé is our lightsome home?
Then fly from fields where gladness fades,
And enter in the peaceful shades.
234
And would put on forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
Ye kingdoms ever mild and meek,
Whose spirits murmur more than speak;
Where swooning mist and swimming cloud,
Above a stormless world are bowed;
We pine for pleasant lethargy,
And would throw off mortality,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
Whose spirits murmur more than speak;
Where swooning mist and swimming cloud,
Above a stormless world are bowed;
We pine for pleasant lethargy,
And would throw off mortality,
Forgetfully, forgetfully.
Serener seats there will we fix,
And in a kinder commune mix;
And float with limpid waves, or lie
On lilies Lethè ripples by;
Robed in a new and nobler dress,
And filled with fine forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
And in a kinder commune mix;
And float with limpid waves, or lie
On lilies Lethè ripples by;
Robed in a new and nobler dress,
And filled with fine forgetfulness—
Forgetfulness, forgetfulness.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |