The Complete Poetical Works of Shelley including materials never before printed in any edition of the poems Edited with textual notes by Thomas Hutchinson |
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MATILDA GATHERING FLOWERS
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 | The Complete Poetical Works of Shelley including materials never before printed in any edition of the poems |  |
MATILDA GATHERING FLOWERS
FROM THE PURGATORIO OF DANTE, CANTO XXVIII, ll. 1–51
And earnest to explore within—around—
The divine wood, whose thick green living woof
Tempered the young day to the sight—I wound
The divine wood, whose thick green living woof
Tempered the young day to the sight—I wound
817
Up the green slope, beneath the forest's roof,
With slow, soft steps leaving the mountain's steep,
And sought those inmost labyrinths, motion-proof
With slow, soft steps leaving the mountain's steep,
And sought those inmost labyrinths, motion-proof
Against the air, that in that stillness deep
And solemn, struck upon my forehead bare,
The slow, soft stroke of a continuous [OMITTED]
And solemn, struck upon my forehead bare,
The slow, soft stroke of a continuous [OMITTED]
In which the [OMITTED] leaves tremblingly were
All bent towards that part where earliest
The sacred hill obscures the morning air.
All bent towards that part where earliest
The sacred hill obscures the morning air.
Yet were they not so shaken from the rest,
But that the birds, perched on the utmost spray,
Incessantly renewing their blithe quest,
But that the birds, perched on the utmost spray,
Incessantly renewing their blithe quest,
With perfect joy received the early day,
Singing within the glancing leaves, whose sound
Kept a low burden to their roundelay,
Singing within the glancing leaves, whose sound
Kept a low burden to their roundelay,
Such as from bough to bough gathers around
The pine forest on bleak Chiassi's shore,
When Aeolus Sirocco has unbound.
The pine forest on bleak Chiassi's shore,
When Aeolus Sirocco has unbound.
My slow steps had already borne me o'er
Such space within the antique wood, that I
Perceived not where I entered any more,—
Such space within the antique wood, that I
Perceived not where I entered any more,—
When, lo! a stream whose little waves went by,
Bending towards the left through grass that grew
Upon its bank, impeded suddenly
Bending towards the left through grass that grew
Upon its bank, impeded suddenly
My going on. Water of purest hue
On earth, would appear turbid and impure
Compared with this, whose unconcealing dew,
On earth, would appear turbid and impure
Compared with this, whose unconcealing dew,
818
Dark, dark, yet clear, moved under the obscure
Eternal shades, whose interwoven looms
The rays of moon or sunlight ne'er endure.
Eternal shades, whose interwoven looms
The rays of moon or sunlight ne'er endure.
I moved not with my feet, but mid the glooms
Pierced with my charmèd eye, contemplating
The mighty multitude of fresh May blooms
Pierced with my charmèd eye, contemplating
The mighty multitude of fresh May blooms
Which starred that night, when, even as a thing
That suddenly, for blank astonishment,
Charms every sense, and makes all thought take wing,—
That suddenly, for blank astonishment,
Charms every sense, and makes all thought take wing,—
A solitary woman! and she went
Singing and gathering flower after flower,
With which her way was painted and besprent.
Singing and gathering flower after flower,
With which her way was painted and besprent.
‘Bright lady, who, if looks had ever power
To bear true witness of the heart within,
Dost bask under the beams of love, come lower
To bear true witness of the heart within,
Dost bask under the beams of love, come lower
Towards this bank. I prithee let me win
This much of thee, to come, that I may hear
Thy song: like Proserpine, in Enna's glen,
This much of thee, to come, that I may hear
Thy song: like Proserpine, in Enna's glen,
Thou seemest to my fancy, singing here
And gathering flowers, as that fair maiden when
She lost the Spring, and Ceres her, more dear.’
And gathering flowers, as that fair maiden when
She lost the Spring, and Ceres her, more dear.’
| The Complete Poetical Works of Shelley including materials never before printed in any edition of the poems | |