Days and Hours :: :: University of Virginia Library

To-day beneath the shade of upland bowers
Summer dark-eyed, and clad in youth divine
Lies at the feet of the enamour'd Hours,
That sing him gleesome madrigals, and twine
Wreaths of the red rose and the eglantine.

II

King of the World! and now and then he quaffs
Out of a goblet bright with nectars drawn
From all sweet bells wherewith the garden laughs,
Green river-bank, and mountain-path, and lawn,
Changed from the pure dew by the blush of dawn.

116

III

Below he hears a pleasant sound of singing
From curtain'd valley, and deep woody glade,
And shelter'd walks with silver laughters ringing
Of lovers under trellised roses laid,
And timbrels smitten in the noonday shade.

IV

The unshod village lad, and country maiden
Thread the green light which thro' the vineyard shines,
With large-leaved paniers of the firstfruits laden,
And mock each other underneath the vines,
And dance, and shout, and run along the lines.

V

Hard by those walks the lonely pilgrim Sorrow
Wander'd, and thro' the leaves and blossoms peeping
‘Ev'n for this gaudy day I will not borrow
A festal robe to be with thine in keeping,’
She hoarsely cried, half laughing, and half weeping;

117

VI

‘My rags, and staff, and hooded cloak,’ she said,
‘Ev'n for the honour of this sunny noon
I will not change; thy crimson robe instead,
Like all good things, will fall to me full soon,
Ha! ha! although it be the month of June!’

VII

She struck the leaves and blossoms with her crutch
Despitefully, and shriek'd a strain of woe;
The tender blossoms felt the evil touch,
And shed themselves away in drifts of snow,
The leaves were wither'd by the fatal blow;

VIII

Those matin revellers with their youthful Chief
Rose up, and fled; big tears came glittering down
And dash'd the dust away from flower and leaf,
And a swift thunder-shadow with its frown
Lick'd up red robe, bright zone, and rosy crown.

118

IX

But as they fled, the sun came forth, and spurn'd
From off the trembling sprays the fallen rain;
They stood beneath a rainbow's arch, and turn'd
Their lovely, laughing aspects back again;
And lo! the beldam stood where they had lain!

X

Her crazy hand was stretch'd to gather up
The scatter'd wealth that roundabout her lay;
Mantle, and girdle bright, and crown, and cup
She would have thrust into her wallet gray;
They storm'd her with fresh flowers from sight of day!

XI

Hence! haggard Ghost, they sang, as they once more
Took their green seats beneath the shade, and found
Many a sweet blossom there, unseen before;
Hence! haggard Ghost; and let her voice be drown'd
With laugh, and dance, and song, and timbrel-sound!