 | Benoni |  |
124
SYMPATHY.
Now the summer deepens into autumn,
Now the night creeps forward thro' the day,
Blots her freshness from the tender twilight,
Dulls her burning orange into grey:
Now the night creeps forward thro' the day,
Blots her freshness from the tender twilight,
Dulls her burning orange into grey:
Now the morn, and now the untimely sunset
Nestles closer towards a faded noon;
Swathed in lengths of mist the sad earth vainly
Lies awake and hearkens for the moon:
Nestles closer towards a faded noon;
Swathed in lengths of mist the sad earth vainly
Lies awake and hearkens for the moon:
And the eastern hails the western darkness
O'er that slender space of light between;
And chill Nature weeps alone, and nurses
Ailing flowers that on her breast do lean:
O'er that slender space of light between;
And chill Nature weeps alone, and nurses
Ailing flowers that on her breast do lean:
Still the ancient sea is near us moving,
Changing ever as our spirits change:
Dimmer lights it wears, and colder shadows,
And our hearts too take a sadder range:
Changing ever as our spirits change:
Dimmer lights it wears, and colder shadows,
And our hearts too take a sadder range:
125
Ceaseless heave and burst the fretful billows,
Ceaseless knead the blank and sandy shore;
So new thoughts and moods within me working
All my soul are kneading evermore.
Ceaseless knead the blank and sandy shore;
So new thoughts and moods within me working
All my soul are kneading evermore.
Oh, the autumnal earth is dark and wondrous—
Changeful as the mystic life within;
Life, or flush'd with shallow glee, with sorrow
Stunn'd, or reeling, drunk with lawless sin!
Changeful as the mystic life within;
Life, or flush'd with shallow glee, with sorrow
Stunn'd, or reeling, drunk with lawless sin!
Crush'd between the dead joys and the dying,
We may well be dizzy, faint, and sere:
But a far light belts the blue horizon,
And a spring looks upward thro' the year.
We may well be dizzy, faint, and sere:
But a far light belts the blue horizon,
And a spring looks upward thro' the year.
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