 | The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley |  |
A MADRIGAL
LOVE GIVES ALL AWAY
“And what is Love by nature?”
My pretty true-love sighs.
And I reply, in feature
A child with pensive eyes,
My pretty true-love sighs.
And I reply, in feature
A child with pensive eyes,
An infant forehead shaded
With many ringlet rings,
And pearly shoulders faded
In the colour of his wings.
With many ringlet rings,
And pearly shoulders faded
In the colour of his wings.
His ways are those of children
Who come to be caressed;
Or as a little wild wren,
Who fears to leave her nest,—
Who come to be caressed;
Or as a little wild wren,
Who fears to leave her nest,—
He is shy; if one shall beckon,
He hides, will not obey;
He spends, and will not reckon,
For Love gives all away.
He hides, will not obey;
He spends, and will not reckon,
For Love gives all away.
He hoards to lavish only,
And lives in miser way;
Now hermit-like is lonely,
Now gallant-like is gay.
And lives in miser way;
Now hermit-like is lonely,
Now gallant-like is gay.
His palm is always tender;
His eyes are rainy grey.
His wage-return is slender,
For Love gives all away.
His eyes are rainy grey.
His wage-return is slender,
For Love gives all away.
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His aspect as he muses,
Is paler than the dead.
He weeps more when he loses,
Than he laughs when he is fed.
Is paler than the dead.
He weeps more when he loses,
Than he laughs when he is fed.
Love at a touch will falter,
Love at a nod will stay.
But armies cannot alter
One hair-breadth of his way.
Love at a nod will stay.
But armies cannot alter
One hair-breadth of his way.
He trembles at a rose-leaf,
And rushes on a spear.
A thorn-prick and he shows grief,
But Death he cannot fear.
And rushes on a spear.
A thorn-prick and he shows grief,
But Death he cannot fear.
The tyrant may not quench him,
He laughs at prison bars;
The water-floods may drench him,
The fire may give him scars.
He laughs at prison bars;
The water-floods may drench him,
The fire may give him scars.
Though thou lay chain and fetter
On ankle, wrist, and hands,
He will not serve thee better,
But soar to unknown lands.
On ankle, wrist, and hands,
He will not serve thee better,
But soar to unknown lands.
He follows shadow faces
Into grave-yards unawares.
He reaps in sterile places,
And brings home sheaves of tares.
Into grave-yards unawares.
He reaps in sterile places,
And brings home sheaves of tares.
One tear will heal his anger;
He will wait and watch all day;
He scoffs at toil and danger,
His last crust gives away.
He will wait and watch all day;
He scoffs at toil and danger,
His last crust gives away.
He will strip off his raiment
To make his dear one gay,
And will laugh at any payment,
Having given all away.
To make his dear one gay,
And will laugh at any payment,
Having given all away.
When care his heart engages,
And his rose-leaf gathers grey,
He will claim a kiss for wages,
And demand a smile for pay.
And his rose-leaf gathers grey,
He will claim a kiss for wages,
And demand a smile for pay.
| The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley | |