Songs and Lyrics By Joseph Skipsey. Collected and Revised |
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The Magic Glass.
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 | Songs and Lyrics |  |
43
The Magic Glass.
1. THE INNER HARP.
The memories of moments flown,
Into my spirit's glass assemble;
And as they enter, one by one,
My heart-strings into music tremble.
Into my spirit's glass assemble;
And as they enter, one by one,
My heart-strings into music tremble.
Even as the harp, the breezelet sways,
So thrills my heart responsive ever
Unto the thoughts of other days
That came and went—and went forever!
So thrills my heart responsive ever
Unto the thoughts of other days
That came and went—and went forever!
2. THE LUCKY HOUR.
The fickle Moon has left the skies;
But Night's blue veil with stars is sprinkled,
And every little twinkler tries
To twinkle as he'd never twinkled.
But Night's blue veil with stars is sprinkled,
And every little twinkler tries
To twinkle as he'd never twinkled.
O, now's the hour for Love to pour,
And Beauty hear his vows supernal;
No Moon will glint of change to hint,
And stars but hint of things eternal.
And Beauty hear his vows supernal;
No Moon will glint of change to hint,
And stars but hint of things eternal.
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3. THE SECRET.
The wind comes from the west to-night;
So sweetly on my lips he bloweth,
My heart is thrill'd, with pure delight
From head to foot my body gloweth.
So sweetly on my lips he bloweth,
My heart is thrill'd, with pure delight
From head to foot my body gloweth.
Where did the wind, the magic find
To charm me thus? say, heart that knoweth!
“Within a rose on which he blows
Before upon thy lips he bloweth!”
To charm me thus? say, heart that knoweth!
“Within a rose on which he blows
Before upon thy lips he bloweth!”
4. THE BEE AND THE ROSE.
“You won't!” the Rose's accents ring;
“I will!” the Golden Bee's are ringing;
And tho' the winds, to aid her, spring,
Soon with the breeze-tost bloom he's swinging.
“I will!” the Golden Bee's are ringing;
And tho' the winds, to aid her, spring,
Soon with the breeze-tost bloom he's swinging.
His prize secured, away he goes,
At which anon, in rage the rarest;
“Come back, thou villain!” cries the Rose;
“Come once more kiss me, if thou darest!”
At which anon, in rage the rarest;
“Come back, thou villain!” cries the Rose;
“Come once more kiss me, if thou darest!”
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5. THE FAIR THIEF.
The sweet one smiled, then swept away,
Her raven locks behind her streaming;
My very pulse forgot to play,
And I was left in wonder dreaming.
Her raven locks behind her streaming;
My very pulse forgot to play,
And I was left in wonder dreaming.
The Pleiads lost their lyres that night;
And Dian lost her bow and quiver;
They'd with the damsel taken flight,
And never have been found since—never!
And Dian lost her bow and quiver;
They'd with the damsel taken flight,
And never have been found since—never!
6. THE SEEN AND THE UNSEEN.
They cry, “How light, the heart and bright,
From which proceed such strains of gladness;”
They can't discern the pangs that burn,
And seek to drive the bard to madness.
From which proceed such strains of gladness;”
They can't discern the pangs that burn,
And seek to drive the bard to madness.
From pryers vain, he hides his pain,
And while with skill his harp he's plying,
They mark the bloom upon the tomb,
But not the ruin in it lying!
And while with skill his harp he's plying,
They mark the bloom upon the tomb,
But not the ruin in it lying!
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7. THE ECHO.
“Adieu!” she cried, and with that cry
Adown the star-lit valley fleeted,
And Echo from her tower on high,
With cruel tongue, the word repeated.
Adown the star-lit valley fleeted,
And Echo from her tower on high,
With cruel tongue, the word repeated.
“What?—Never?” cried I, yet possess'd
Of hope, that by some sweet endeavour,
Again we'd meet our hearts at rest,
When—“What?” cried startled Echo—“Never!”
Of hope, that by some sweet endeavour,
Again we'd meet our hearts at rest,
When—“What?” cried startled Echo—“Never!”
8. THE TWO VISIONS.
A golden sun went down to-night;
When lo! a vision from the olden
Time, flashed on my inner sight,
With smiles more tender and as golden.
When lo! a vision from the olden
Time, flashed on my inner sight,
With smiles more tender and as golden.
My blood ran cold; for I did know
Another dream of equal splendour
Would follow that; and did, but O!
Not with the golden smiles and tender.
Another dream of equal splendour
Would follow that; and did, but O!
Not with the golden smiles and tender.
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9. THE RETURN.
Can this be her? Her dark eyes show
Two planets in the midnight heaven;
Her cheeks the blood-red rose, her brow
The snow upon the mountains driven;
Two planets in the midnight heaven;
Her cheeks the blood-red rose, her brow
The snow upon the mountains driven;
Her tongue a silver bell to hear,
Ah, death when certain words are spoken!—
Can this be her? And comes the dear
To break again the heart she's broken?
Ah, death when certain words are spoken!—
Can this be her? And comes the dear
To break again the heart she's broken?
10. THE SYREN.
Her harp she takes, from string to string,
Her little snowy fingers, glancing,
Into Night's ear a wild spell fling,
And all the while my heart is dancing.
Her little snowy fingers, glancing,
Into Night's ear a wild spell fling,
And all the while my heart is dancing.
Why thus, fond heart, thus dancest thou?
“A dream of old in memory lingers,
At thought of which I dance to know
That mine are not the strings she fingers!”
“A dream of old in memory lingers,
At thought of which I dance to know
That mine are not the strings she fingers!”
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11. THE TOWER.
My wee, wee fawn, you see me yawn?
Well, I'm not much disposed to flattery;
And were I so, you rogue! you know
You're proof against the fiercest battery.
Well, I'm not much disposed to flattery;
And were I so, you rogue! you know
You're proof against the fiercest battery.
You have an ear? of stone, my dear;
A heart? yes, yes, of temper'd iron,
And love of self, the little elf,
Doth with a Tower of Brass environ!
A heart? yes, yes, of temper'd iron,
And love of self, the little elf,
Doth with a Tower of Brass environ!
12. THE ONE SOLACE.
I might have wish'd it otherwise;
But yet, albeit, they were cruel—
Those thunder-clouds above her eyes,
They very much become the jewel!
But yet, albeit, they were cruel—
Those thunder-clouds above her eyes,
They very much become the jewel!
Hope fled, but Truth remain'd, and owns
What yet this fond heart half-beguileth;
“One knows the worst on't when she frowns,
But never when the syren smileth!”
What yet this fond heart half-beguileth;
“One knows the worst on't when she frowns,
But never when the syren smileth!”
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13. THE CLOUD.
A cloud the valley domes, and down
Yon erewhile sun-lit mountain stealeth,
And bit by bit, with one black frown,
The green and gold below concealeth.
Yon erewhile sun-lit mountain stealeth,
And bit by bit, with one black frown,
The green and gold below concealeth.
Down, down it comes, and pain me numbs,
To think how soon yon vision splendid,
Yon one last scene of gold and green,
Must like my other dreams have ended.
To think how soon yon vision splendid,
Yon one last scene of gold and green,
Must like my other dreams have ended.
14. THE SONGSTRESS.
Back flies my soul to other years,
When thou that charming lay repeatest,
When smiles were only chased by tears
Yet sweeter far than smiles the sweetest.
When thou that charming lay repeatest,
When smiles were only chased by tears
Yet sweeter far than smiles the sweetest.
Thy music ends, and where are they?
Those golden times by memory cherish'd?
O, syren, sing no more that lay,
Or sing till I like them have perish'd!
Those golden times by memory cherish'd?
O, syren, sing no more that lay,
Or sing till I like them have perish'd!
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