 | Poems |  |
141
SONNETS.
I.
TO AN IDEAL OBJECT.
Though far away, I still shall see thee here,
Shall see thy eyes so deep, thy modest mien,
And hear that fairy laughter, which yestreen
Fell like sweet music on my spell-bound ear.
Shall see thy eyes so deep, thy modest mien,
And hear that fairy laughter, which yestreen
Fell like sweet music on my spell-bound ear.
Though far away, in truth thou dwell'st as near
As wert thou daily, hourly to be seen,
Nor of thy truthfulness have I a fear,
What is with thee stands fast and shows serene.
As wert thou daily, hourly to be seen,
Nor of thy truthfulness have I a fear,
What is with thee stands fast and shows serene.
Would thou wert real, creature of my brain!
Thy voice and laughter, and those deep, still eyes,
And I of loneliness might not complain;
Thy voice and laughter, and those deep, still eyes,
And I of loneliness might not complain;
Then I should be inestimably wise,
Nor end my days in this so bitter pain,
Which far within my inmost being lies.
Nor end my days in this so bitter pain,
Which far within my inmost being lies.
142
[II. Thou art like that which is most sweet and fair]
Thou art like that which is most sweet and fair,
A gentle morning in the youth of spring,
When the few early birds begin to sing
Within the delicate depths of the fine air.
A gentle morning in the youth of spring,
When the few early birds begin to sing
Within the delicate depths of the fine air.
Yet shouldst thou these dear beauties much impair,
Since thou art better than is every thing
Which or the woods, or skies, or green fields bring,
And finer thoughts hast thou than they can wear.
Since thou art better than is every thing
Which or the woods, or skies, or green fields bring,
And finer thoughts hast thou than they can wear.
In the proud sweetness of thy grace I see,
What lies within, a pure and steadfast mind,
Which its own mistress is of sanctity,
What lies within, a pure and steadfast mind,
Which its own mistress is of sanctity,
And to all gentleness hath been refined;
So that thy least breath falleth upon me
As the soft breathing of midsummer wind.
So that thy least breath falleth upon me
As the soft breathing of midsummer wind.
143
[III. Men change, that heaven above not more]
Men change, that heaven above not more,
Which now with white clouds is all beautiful,
Soon is with gray mists a poor creature dull;
Thus, in this human theatre, actions pour
Which now with white clouds is all beautiful,
Soon is with gray mists a poor creature dull;
Thus, in this human theatre, actions pour
Like slight waves on a melancholy shore;
Nothing is fixed, the human heart is null,
'Tis taught by scholars, 'tis rehearsed in lore;
Methinks this human heart might well be o'er.
Nothing is fixed, the human heart is null,
'Tis taught by scholars, 'tis rehearsed in lore;
Methinks this human heart might well be o'er.
O precious pomp of eterne vanity!
O false fool world! whose actions are a race
Of monstrous puppets; I can't form one plea
O false fool world! whose actions are a race
Of monstrous puppets; I can't form one plea
Why any man should wear a smiling face.
World! thou art one green sepulchre to me,
Through which, mid clouds of dust, slowly I pace.
World! thou art one green sepulchre to me,
Through which, mid clouds of dust, slowly I pace.
144
[IV. Hearts of Eternity,—hearts of the deep]
Hearts of Eternity,—hearts of the deep!
Proclaim from land to sea your mighty fate;
How that for you no living comes too late;
How ye cannot in Theban labyrinth creep;
Proclaim from land to sea your mighty fate;
How that for you no living comes too late;
How ye cannot in Theban labyrinth creep;
How ye great harvests from small surface reap;
Shout, excellent band, in grand primeval strain,
Like midnight winds that foam along the main,
And do all things rather than pause to weep.
Shout, excellent band, in grand primeval strain,
Like midnight winds that foam along the main,
And do all things rather than pause to weep.
A human heart knows nought of littleness,
Suspects no man, compares with no one's ways,
Hath in one hour most glorious length of days,
Suspects no man, compares with no one's ways,
Hath in one hour most glorious length of days,
A recompense, a joy, a loveliness;
Like eaglet keen, shoots into azure far,
And always dwelling nigh is the remotest star.
Like eaglet keen, shoots into azure far,
And always dwelling nigh is the remotest star.
145
[V. The brook is eddying in the forest dell]
The brook is eddying in the forest dell
All full of untaught merriment,—the joy
Of breathing life is this green wood's employ.
The wind is feeling through his gentle bell,
All full of untaught merriment,—the joy
Of breathing life is this green wood's employ.
The wind is feeling through his gentle bell,
I and my flowers receive this music well.
Why will not man his natural life enjoy?
Can he then with his ample spirit toy?
Are human thoughts, like wares, now baked to sell?
Why will not man his natural life enjoy?
Can he then with his ample spirit toy?
Are human thoughts, like wares, now baked to sell?
All up, all round, all down, a thrilling deep,
A holy infinite salutes the sense,
And incommunicable praises leap,
A holy infinite salutes the sense,
And incommunicable praises leap,
Shooting the entire soul with love intense
Throughout the all. Can man live on to weep,
Submitting to such heavenly influence?
Throughout the all. Can man live on to weep,
Submitting to such heavenly influence?
146
[VI. There never lived a man, who with a heart]
There never lived a man, who with a heart
Resolved, bound up, concentered in the good,
However low or high in rank he stood,
But when from him yourself had chanced to start,
Resolved, bound up, concentered in the good,
However low or high in rank he stood,
But when from him yourself had chanced to start,
You felt how goodness alway maketh art;
And that an ever venerable mood
Of sanctity, like the deep worship of a wood,
Of its unconsciousness makes you a part.
And that an ever venerable mood
Of sanctity, like the deep worship of a wood,
Of its unconsciousness makes you a part.
Let us live amply in the joyous all;
We surely were not meant to ride the sea
Skimming the wave in that so prisoned small,
We surely were not meant to ride the sea
Skimming the wave in that so prisoned small,
Reposing our infinite faculties utterly.
Boom like a roaring sunlit waterfall
Humming to infinite abysms; speak loud, speak free.
Boom like a roaring sunlit waterfall
Humming to infinite abysms; speak loud, speak free.
147
VII.
THE ETERNAL LANDSCAPE.
There weeps a landscape that some mortals see,
Whose time slips on to noble purpose fair,
And of an hour escaped from carking care
That sight is star of their nativity.
Whose time slips on to noble purpose fair,
And of an hour escaped from carking care
That sight is star of their nativity.
Falls the warm, mellow light on field and tree,
Almost it will their breathing overbear
To find this world such holy robe does wear,
And sinketh through them, privilege to be.
Almost it will their breathing overbear
To find this world such holy robe does wear,
And sinketh through them, privilege to be.
That time is dead,—so the swift crowd will say
Of human beings creeping down in woe,
Yet to the true, in that long-passed day
Of human beings creeping down in woe,
Yet to the true, in that long-passed day
Is parent of the chief they really know;
And casting off external busy clay,
A world of memory lies like glass below.
And casting off external busy clay,
A world of memory lies like glass below.
148
[VIII. I mark beneath thy life the virtue shine]
I mark beneath thy life the virtue shine
That deep within the star's eye opes its day;
I clutch those gorgeous thoughts thou throw'st away,
From the profound unfathomable mine,
That deep within the star's eye opes its day;
I clutch those gorgeous thoughts thou throw'st away,
From the profound unfathomable mine,
And with them this mean, common hour do twine,
As glassy waters o'er the dry beach play,
And I were rich as night, them to combine
With my poor store, and warm me with thy ray.
As glassy waters o'er the dry beach play,
And I were rich as night, them to combine
With my poor store, and warm me with thy ray.
From the fixed answer of those dateless eyes
I meet bold hints of spirit's mystery
As to what's past, and hungry prophecies
I meet bold hints of spirit's mystery
As to what's past, and hungry prophecies
Of deeds to-day, and things which are to be;
Of lofty life that with the eagle flies,
And lowly love, that clasps humanity.
Of lofty life that with the eagle flies,
And lowly love, that clasps humanity.
149
[IX. In those bright, laughing days that pierce the fall]
In those bright, laughing days that pierce the fall,
With sunny spears forged from the summer's glow,
The crimson leaves sail slowly on the pall
Of the warm fitful air; but there will blow
With sunny spears forged from the summer's glow,
The crimson leaves sail slowly on the pall
Of the warm fitful air; but there will blow
At sunset a cool breeze; then the leaves flow
In heaped-up multitudes beneath the wall;
Thus drifts of bodies to the graveyard go,
And the pinched foliage in their times recall.
In heaped-up multitudes beneath the wall;
Thus drifts of bodies to the graveyard go,
And the pinched foliage in their times recall.
That fall's warm wind is first affection's tear,
And near remembrance, with its fiery thought;
That frosty breeze is memory, all grown sere,
And near remembrance, with its fiery thought;
That frosty breeze is memory, all grown sere,
And consolation, curiously wrought;
That pile of sapless sheaths the hosts who died,
And those we lately added to their side.
That pile of sapless sheaths the hosts who died,
And those we lately added to their side.
150
[X. Earth hath her meadows green, her brooklets bright]
Earth hath her meadows green, her brooklets bright;
She hath a million flowers which bloom aloft,
O'ershade her peerless glances the clouds soft,
And dances on her sward the capering light.
She hath a million flowers which bloom aloft,
O'ershade her peerless glances the clouds soft,
And dances on her sward the capering light.
She hath a full glad day, a solemn night,
And showers, and trees, and waterfallings oft.
Meekly I love her, and in her delight;
I am as one who ministers in rite.
And showers, and trees, and waterfallings oft.
Meekly I love her, and in her delight;
I am as one who ministers in rite.
But so much soul hast thou within thy form,
Than luscious summer days thou art the more,
And far within thee there is that more warm
Than luscious summer days thou art the more,
And far within thee there is that more warm
Than ever sunlight to the wild flowers bore,
Thou great glad gentleness, and sweetly clear,
Thou who art mine to love and to revere.
Thou great glad gentleness, and sweetly clear,
Thou who art mine to love and to revere.
151
[XI. I love the universe,—I love the joy]
I love the universe,—I love the joy
Of every living thing. Be mine the sure
Felicity, which ever shall endure;
While passion whirls the madmen, as they toy,
Of every living thing. Be mine the sure
Felicity, which ever shall endure;
While passion whirls the madmen, as they toy,
To hate, I would my simple being warm
In the calm pouring sun; and in that pure
And motionless silence, ever would employ
My best true powers, without a thought's annoy.
In the calm pouring sun; and in that pure
And motionless silence, ever would employ
My best true powers, without a thought's annoy.
See and be glad! O high imperial race,
Dwarfing the common altitude of strength,
Learn that ye stand on an unshaken base;
Dwarfing the common altitude of strength,
Learn that ye stand on an unshaken base;
Your powers will carry you to any length.
Up! earnestly feel the gentle sunset beams;
Be glad in woods, o'er sands,—by marsh, or streams.
Up! earnestly feel the gentle sunset beams;
Be glad in woods, o'er sands,—by marsh, or streams.
| Poems | |