 | Tiresias |  |
49
[I saw thee, as the storm grew nigh]
“ ‘I saw thee, as the storm grew nigh,
Half unclose a dreamy eye
And let a moonbeam enter there.
Ah, was it fair
The moon should dare
To let her beams thus peer and pry!
Half unclose a dreamy eye
And let a moonbeam enter there.
Ah, was it fair
The moon should dare
To let her beams thus peer and pry!
“ ‘And when the storm grew nearer still,
Thee I saw uplift thy bill
And sink down deeper in the nest;
Not for the rest
To thy warm breast,
But saving thy loved eggs from chill!
Thee I saw uplift thy bill
And sink down deeper in the nest;
Not for the rest
To thy warm breast,
But saving thy loved eggs from chill!
“ ‘The raging storm upon us came;
Thunder-voiced, in rosy flame
A vivid instantaneous glow;
When up, down low,
Then to and fro
Wildly it swayed thy shivering frame.
Thunder-voiced, in rosy flame
A vivid instantaneous glow;
When up, down low,
Then to and fro
Wildly it swayed thy shivering frame.
50
“ ‘Within thy nest I watched thee cling,
Stretching either side a wing;
Thy fragile treasure fast concealing!
Thunder pealing,
Fire revealing
How fiercely swirling branches swing!
Stretching either side a wing;
Thy fragile treasure fast concealing!
Thunder pealing,
Fire revealing
How fiercely swirling branches swing!
“ ‘The tempest, fearing bright-faced day,
Fled in gusty sighs away;
Ah, yet wert thou affright, or shy,
And did'st not vie
With me and fly
To sit and dance our favourite spray!’ ”
Fled in gusty sighs away;
Ah, yet wert thou affright, or shy,
And did'st not vie
With me and fly
To sit and dance our favourite spray!’ ”
| Tiresias | |