 | The coming of love |  |
Death's year has passed: again the new-mown hay,
As on that night, perfumes the Dell—that night
Whose darkness seemed more dear than Eden-light—
Fragrant of Love's warm wings and Love's warm breath—
Where here I left her doomed to treacherous death
By Romany guile that lured me far away;
'Twas here—where petals of the morn are cast
'Mid Night's wild phantoms from the spectral past—
'Twas here she made the vow I smiled at then
To show her face some morn when hill and glen
Took the first kiss of Day.
As on that night, perfumes the Dell—that night
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Fragrant of Love's warm wings and Love's warm breath—
Where here I left her doomed to treacherous death
By Romany guile that lured me far away;
'Twas here—where petals of the morn are cast
'Mid Night's wild phantoms from the spectral past—
'Twas here she made the vow I smiled at then
To show her face some morn when hill and glen
Took the first kiss of Day.
But now—not all the starry Virtues seven
Seem strong as she, nor Time, nor Death, nor Night.
And morning says, “Love hath such godlike might
That if the sun, the moon, and all the stars,
Nay, all the spheral spirits who guide their cars,
Were quelled by Doom, Love's high-creative leaven
Could light new worlds.” If, then, this Lord of Fate,
When Death calls in the stars, can re-create,
Is it a madman's dream that Love can show
Rhona, my Rhona, in yon ruby glow,
And build again my heaven?
Seem strong as she, nor Time, nor Death, nor Night.
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That if the sun, the moon, and all the stars,
Nay, all the spheral spirits who guide their cars,
Were quelled by Doom, Love's high-creative leaven
Could light new worlds.” If, then, this Lord of Fate,
When Death calls in the stars, can re-create,
Is it a madman's dream that Love can show
Rhona, my Rhona, in yon ruby glow,
And build again my heaven?
“The birds,” she said, “they knows us Romany chies
—
Leaseways the gypsy-magpie an the jay—
They knows the Romany tongue—yis, all we say:
So, if the Hernes should do away wi' me
'Cause o' the Scollard's death, the birds will see
An' tell the flowers where Rhona's body lies.
The Scollard's strong to strive wi' now he's dead:
Outside the tent o' nights I hear his tread.
You mind them stars a-shinin in the river
That seemed a snake o' fire? I see'd you shiver:
It had the Scollard's eyes!
Leaseways the gypsy-magpie an the jay—
They knows the Romany tongue—yis, all we say:
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'Cause o' the Scollard's death, the birds will see
An' tell the flowers where Rhona's body lies.
The Scollard's strong to strive wi' now he's dead:
Outside the tent o' nights I hear his tread.
You mind them stars a-shinin in the river
That seemed a snake o' fire? I see'd you shiver:
It had the Scollard's eyes!
But when I'm dead, the Golden Hand o' Love
Will shine some day where mists o' mornin swim;
Me too you'll see, dear, when the sun's red rim
Peeps through the Rookery boughs by Rington spire,
And makes the wet leaves wink like stars o' fire;
Then, when the skylark wakes the thrush and dove,
An' squrrels jump, an' rabbits scrabble roun',
An' hares cock up their ears a-shinin brown,
An' grass an' blossoms mix their mornin smells
Wi' Dingle songs from all the chirikels ,
You'll see me there above.”
Will shine some day where mists o' mornin swim;
Me too you'll see, dear, when the sun's red rim
Peeps through the Rookery boughs by Rington spire,
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Then, when the skylark wakes the thrush and dove,
An' squrrels jump, an' rabbits scrabble roun',
An' hares cock up their ears a-shinin brown,
An' grass an' blossoms mix their mornin smells
Wi' Dingle songs from all the chirikels ,
You'll see me there above.”
| The coming of love | |