 | Hours at Naples, and Other Poems |  |
SONG.
[Oh! bright are the gems richly twined in thy hair]
Oh! bright are the gems richly twined in thy hair,
Like quick rays of light, wreath'd with clear threads of gold—
Scarce the eye may undazzled rest momently there—
Oh! bright are those gems and those locks to behold!
Like quick rays of light, wreath'd with clear threads of gold—
Scarce the eye may undazzled rest momently there—
Oh! bright are those gems and those locks to behold!
Yes! rich are the jewels that shine midst thy hair,
And fair are the flowerets that laugh round thy brow;
But thine eye dazzles deeper, thy cheek shows more fair—
Then what need of these foolish adornments hast thou?
And fair are the flowerets that laugh round thy brow;
But thine eye dazzles deeper, thy cheek shows more fair—
Then what need of these foolish adornments hast thou?
158
Oh! cast them away from thee—cast them away,
Let the World see how little to them thou mayst owe;
Let thy Lovers behold how in simplest array
Thou surpassest divinely all beings below!
Let the World see how little to them thou mayst owe;
Let thy Lovers behold how in simplest array
Thou surpassest divinely all beings below!
Oh! rash—and unthinking! 'tis better by far
We should deem that around thee some borrowed light's thrown!
And think our proud Sun but a Glory-touched Star,
Fed and lit with a splendour that is not its own!
We should deem that around thee some borrowed light's thrown!
And think our proud Sun but a Glory-touched Star,
Fed and lit with a splendour that is not its own!
| Hours at Naples, and Other Poems | |