 | Poems (1905) |  |
471
THE AMOURS OF G[EORGE].
“Brother, what tho' thy mind is strong,
“And thou art classed the wise among,
“Yet in thy earlier Life did'st thou
“To Love's imperious Godhead bow,
“And [worshipp'dst] ardently in Truth
“The Idol of thy giddy youth.”
G.
“And thou art classed the wise among,
“Yet in thy earlier Life did'st thou
“To Love's imperious Godhead bow,
“And [worshipp'dst] ardently in Truth
“The Idol of thy giddy youth.”
“I read Romances, Joseph, then,
“And wrote with a poetic Pen;
“I chose in lonely walks to tread,
“And held my Converse with the Dead.
“I built me Castles rich and fair,
“And shut in Wealth and Virtue there,
“With Bliss that nowhere else will grow,
“And Fame not realized below,
“And power that none should dare contest,
“And Beauty none beside possess'd;
“With all that Fancy ever gave
“To Man who would his Miseries brave.
“My Form was slender; I was tall,
“And awkward were my Motions all;
“Nor was a Form indebted less
“To Fashion, Manner, Grace or Dress.
“This Form was not for Love designed,
“But he intirely ruled the Mind;
“And, as I felt that I should prove
“A most obedient Slave to Love,
“So did I judge that he should be
“A most propitious God to me:
“To give to me the gentlest Heart
“That ever felt his keenest Dart,
“Or that inspired the sweetest Look,
“Or kindly in the features spoke.
“And wrote with a poetic Pen;
“I chose in lonely walks to tread,
“And held my Converse with the Dead.
“I built me Castles rich and fair,
“And shut in Wealth and Virtue there,
“With Bliss that nowhere else will grow,
“And Fame not realized below,
“And power that none should dare contest,
“And Beauty none beside possess'd;
“With all that Fancy ever gave
“To Man who would his Miseries brave.
“My Form was slender; I was tall,
“And awkward were my Motions all;
“Nor was a Form indebted less
“To Fashion, Manner, Grace or Dress.
“This Form was not for Love designed,
“But he intirely ruled the Mind;
“And, as I felt that I should prove
“A most obedient Slave to Love,
“So did I judge that he should be
“A most propitious God to me:
“To give to me the gentlest Heart
“That ever felt his keenest Dart,
“Or that inspired the sweetest Look,
“Or kindly in the features spoke.
“Possessed of Fancies vain and proud
“I spurned the male and female Crowd,
“And hoped in some auspicious Hour
“In some May Morn, in some green Bower,
“Where I should soothe my dream of Grief,
“To meet the Lady of the Leaf;
“Her Love and Favour to implore
“And be her Knight for evermore.
“But let me raise my Style, and tell
“What in my Vision me befell.
“I spurned the male and female Crowd,
“And hoped in some auspicious Hour
“In some May Morn, in some green Bower,
“Where I should soothe my dream of Grief,
“To meet the Lady of the Leaf;
“Her Love and Favour to implore
“And be her Knight for evermore.
“But let me raise my Style, and tell
“What in my Vision me befell.
“One day I mus'd beside a Wood,
“As I had often done before,
“And [seemed] so rich and brave and good
“As never Man was made before.
“A green Inclosure was beside,
“And, not far distant on the Hill,
“A noble Seat, our County's Pride,
“Built with abundant Care and Skill;
“And thence had issued Ladies fair
“And walked within the Place below;
“But the green Wood conceal'd the pair
“From me, who walking felt the Glow
“Of all the Vanity and pride
“That push'd the intruding World aside.
“And now, while thus enwrap'd and fed
“With thoughts that self indulgence bred,
“I heard a Shriek so long and loud
“That prov'd the Shriekers were not proud,
“But would accept the meanest Aid
“That ever succour'd folk afraid.
“As I had often done before,
“And [seemed] so rich and brave and good
“As never Man was made before.
“A green Inclosure was beside,
“And, not far distant on the Hill,
472
“Built with abundant Care and Skill;
“And thence had issued Ladies fair
“And walked within the Place below;
“But the green Wood conceal'd the pair
“From me, who walking felt the Glow
“Of all the Vanity and pride
“That push'd the intruding World aside.
“And now, while thus enwrap'd and fed
“With thoughts that self indulgence bred,
“I heard a Shriek so long and loud
“That prov'd the Shriekers were not proud,
“But would accept the meanest Aid
“That ever succour'd folk afraid.
“For so it was: that pair divine
“Were met by some rebellious Kine,
“Who, in their stubborn Pride and Scorn,
“With surly Hoof and threat'ning Horn
“Usurp'd the Path, and, as the Maids
“Drew near, and [would have] sought its Shades,
“[Ere] they could reach the guarding Wood,
“Some surly Beast their Way withstood.
“And hence the dismal Shriek that drew
“My Eyes, and asked my Action too;
“As Justness prompted; forth I ran
“Resolv'd to show myself a Man;
“And, plucking forth an oaken Bough,
“I ran like Guy to fight the Cow;
“And, like a valiant Champion, fixed
“Myself the Maids and Cows betwixt.
“And, tho' I had not breath to say,
“‘Run, Ladies, for the Stile away!’
“Yet doubtless, with a warlike Grace,
“My hand was pointed to the Place.
“Were met by some rebellious Kine,
“Who, in their stubborn Pride and Scorn,
“With surly Hoof and threat'ning Horn
“Usurp'd the Path, and, as the Maids
“Drew near, and [would have] sought its Shades,
“[Ere] they could reach the guarding Wood,
“Some surly Beast their Way withstood.
“And hence the dismal Shriek that drew
“My Eyes, and asked my Action too;
“As Justness prompted; forth I ran
“Resolv'd to show myself a Man;
“And, plucking forth an oaken Bough,
“I ran like Guy to fight the Cow;
“And, like a valiant Champion, fixed
“Myself the Maids and Cows betwixt.
“And, tho' I had not breath to say,
“‘Run, Ladies, for the Stile away!’
“Yet doubtless, with a warlike Grace,
“My hand was pointed to the Place.
“The Ladies took me at my Word,
“And each flew lightly like a Bird.
“I now had time my thoughts t' arrange
“And should have liked my place to change;
“For now the Creatures seemed disposed
“For Battle, and in Order closed;
“And, tho' they halted, yet I found
“My feet upon precarious Ground;
“And yet, to turn me and retreat
“Was not alone to own Defeat,
“But to invite th' encouraged Foe
“To fell pursuit and overthrow.
“And each flew lightly like a Bird.
“I now had time my thoughts t' arrange
“And should have liked my place to change;
“For now the Creatures seemed disposed
“For Battle, and in Order closed;
“And, tho' they halted, yet I found
“My feet upon precarious Ground;
“And yet, to turn me and retreat
“Was not alone to own Defeat,
“But to invite th' encouraged Foe
“To fell pursuit and overthrow.
“The Ladies, who had pass'd the Stile,
“Looked on impatiently the while;
“And were amazed, for so they said,
“To see the horrid Cows afraid,
“And kept in coward fear by one
“Who had for them such Service done.
“Looked on impatiently the while;
“And were amazed, for so they said,
“To see the horrid Cows afraid,
“And kept in coward fear by one
“Who had for them such Service done.
“Which had the Victory, Man or Cow,
“Can never be determined now.
“For lo! some amazons appear'd,
“Resolv'd to milk the stubborn Herd;
“Who, as they now obedient grew,
“Left me my purpose to pursue—
“A purpose that I could not well
“Distinguish, nor can fairly tell.
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“For lo! some amazons appear'd,
“Resolv'd to milk the stubborn Herd;
“Who, as they now obedient grew,
“Left me my purpose to pursue—
“A purpose that I could not well
“Distinguish, nor can fairly tell.
“The [quicker] Nymph with gracious Smile
“Received me safe beyond the Stile;
“Where I had time to feast my Eyes
“On paradise and prodigies—
“Charms, such as Nature once creates,
“Then breaks the Mould (the Lover states).
“But this, dear Joseph, was a Face
“I could not from my fancy chase;
“Was more than I had dreamed, was more
“Than Fancy drew for me before,
“And bade me my own Work adore.
“But let me not on Beauty dwell:
“The trace became indelible.” [OMITTED]
“Received me safe beyond the Stile;
“Where I had time to feast my Eyes
“On paradise and prodigies—
“Charms, such as Nature once creates,
“Then breaks the Mould (the Lover states).
“But this, dear Joseph, was a Face
“I could not from my fancy chase;
“Was more than I had dreamed, was more
“Than Fancy drew for me before,
“And bade me my own Work adore.
“But let me not on Beauty dwell:
“The trace became indelible.” [OMITTED]
| Poems (1905) | |