 | Italy and Other Poems |  |
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TIVOLI.
Spirit! who lov'st to live unseen
By brook, or pathless dell,
Where wild woods burst the rocks between,
And floods, in stream of silver sheen,
Gush from their flinty cell!
By brook, or pathless dell,
Where wild woods burst the rocks between,
And floods, in stream of silver sheen,
Gush from their flinty cell!
Or where the ivy weaves her woof,
And climbs the crag alone,
Haunt'st the cool grotto, day-light proof,
Where loitering drops that wear the roof,
Turn all beneath to stone.
And climbs the crag alone,
Haunt'st the cool grotto, day-light proof,
Where loitering drops that wear the roof,
Turn all beneath to stone.
Shield me from Summer's blaze of day,
From noon-tide's fiery gale,
And as thy waters round me play,
Beneath th' o'ershadowing cavern lay,
Till Twilight spreads her veil.
From noon-tide's fiery gale,
And as thy waters round me play,
Beneath th' o'ershadowing cavern lay,
Till Twilight spreads her veil.
Then guide me where the wandering moon
Rests on Mæcenas' wall,
And echoes at Night's solemn noon,
In Tivoli's soft shades attune
The peaceful waterfall.
Rests on Mæcenas' wall,
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In Tivoli's soft shades attune
The peaceful waterfall.
Again they float before my sight
The bow'r, the flood, the glade;
Again on yon romantic height
The Sibyl's temple tow'rs in light,
Above the dark cascade.
The bow'r, the flood, the glade;
Again on yon romantic height
The Sibyl's temple tow'rs in light,
Above the dark cascade.
Down the steep cliff I wind my way
Along the dim retreat,
And, 'mid the torrents deaf'ning bray,
Dash from my brow the foam away,
Where clashing cataracts meet.
Along the dim retreat,
And, 'mid the torrents deaf'ning bray,
Dash from my brow the foam away,
Where clashing cataracts meet.
And now I leave the rocks below,
And, issuing forth from night,
View on the flakes that sunward flow,
A thousand rainbows round me glow,
And arch my way with light.
And, issuing forth from night,
View on the flakes that sunward flow,
A thousand rainbows round me glow,
And arch my way with light.
Again the myrtles o'er me breathe,
Fresh flow'rs my path perfume,
Round cliff and cave wild tendrils wreathe,
And from the groves that bend beneath,
Low trail their purple bloom.
Fresh flow'rs my path perfume,
Round cliff and cave wild tendrils wreathe,
And from the groves that bend beneath,
Low trail their purple bloom.
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Thou grove, thou glade of Tivoli,
Dark flood, and rivulet clear,
That wind, where'er you wander by,
A stream of beauty on the eye,
Of music on the ear:
Dark flood, and rivulet clear,
That wind, where'er you wander by,
A stream of beauty on the eye,
Of music on the ear:
And thou, that when the wandering moon
Illum'd the rocky dell,
Did'st to my charmed ear attune
The echoes of Night's solemn noon,
Spirit unseen! farewell!
Illum'd the rocky dell,
Did'st to my charmed ear attune
The echoes of Night's solemn noon,
Spirit unseen! farewell!
Farewell!—O'er many a realm I go,
My natal isle to greet,
Where summer sunbeams mildly glow,
And sea-winds health and freshness blow
O'er Freedom's hallow'd seat.
My natal isle to greet,
Where summer sunbeams mildly glow,
And sea-winds health and freshness blow
O'er Freedom's hallow'd seat.
Yet, there, to thy romantic spot
Shall Fancy oft retire,
And hail the bow'r, the stream, the grot,
Where Earth's sole Lord the world forgot,
And Horace smote the lyre.
Shall Fancy oft retire,
And hail the bow'r, the stream, the grot,
Where Earth's sole Lord the world forgot,
And Horace smote the lyre.
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