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University of Virginia Library

Sonnets of the Wingless Hours

By Eugene Lee-Hamilton

Lee-Hamilton, Eugene

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I.

SECTION I. A WHEELED BED 1873-1893

TO THE MUSE. I.

TO THE MUSE II.

FAIRY GODMOTHERS.

FOR THE FLY-LEAF OF ‘LE MIE PRIGIONI.’

A SNAILS' DERBY.

RIVER BABBLE. I.

RIVER BABBLE. II.

KING CHRISTMAS.

AN ELFIN SKATE. I.

AN ELFIN SKATE. II.

AN ELFIN SKATE. III.

TO MY WHEELED BED.

CORSO DE' FIORI.

EAGLES OF TIBERIUS.

TO MY TORTOISE CHRONOS.

THE SUN-DIAL. I.

THE SUN-DIAL. II.

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II.

SECTION II. BRUSH AND CHISEL

ON A GROUP OF FRA ANGELICO'S ANGELS.

THE EVER YOUNG. I.

THE EVER YOUNG. II.

THE EVER YOUNG. III.

ON RAPHAEL'S ARCHANGEL MICHAEL.

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ON TWO OF SIGNORELLI'S FRESCOES.

I.

I.—THE RISING OF THE DEAD.

II.

II.—THE BINDING OF THE LOST.

THE WAIFS OF TIME.

TO THE SO-CALLED VENUS OF MILO. I.

TO THE SO-CALLED VENUS OF MILO. II.

ON AN ILLUSTRATION IN DORÉ'S DANTE. I.

ON AN ILLUSTRATION IN DORÉ'S DANTE. II.

ON MANTEGNA'S DRAWING OF JUDITH. I.

ON MANTEGNA'S DRAWING OF JUDITH. II.

ON THE HORSES OF ST. MARK.

ON A SURF-ROLLED TORSO OF VENUS.

FADING GLORIES. I.

FADING GLORIES. II.

ON LEONARDO'S HEAD OF MEDUSA.

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III.

SECTION III. LIFE AND FATE

THE RING OF FAUSTUS.

HOUNDS OF FATE.

THE ‘EISERNE JUNGFRAU.’

THE WRECK ROCK BELL.

THE SILENT FELLOW.

MEETING OF GHOSTS.

THE RANSOM OF PERU.

CÆSAR'S GHOST.

A SPANISH LEGEND.

IN THE WOOD OF DEAD SEA FRUIT.

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IV.

SECTION IV. THE AFTER-LIFE.

WAIFS OF A WORLD.

SEA-SHELL MURMURS.

THE PHANTOM SHIP.

MY OWN HEREAFTER.

WINE OF OMAR KHAYYÁM.

A FLIGHT FROM GLORY.

ALL SOULS' DAY. I.

ALL SOULS' DAY. II.

THE WRECK OF HEAVEN. I.

THE WRECK OF HEAVEN. II.

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V.

SECTION V. MISCELLANEOUS.

WHAT THE SONNET IS.

SONNET GOLD. I.

SONNET GOLD. II.

OBERON'S LAST COUNCIL. I.

OBERON'S LAST COUNCIL. I.

TO PHILIP MARSTON.

MUSSET'S LOUIS D'OR.

PROMETHEAN FANCIES. I.

PROMETHEAN FANCIES. II.

THE DEATH OF PUCK. I.

THE DEATH OF PUCK. II.

TO FLORENCE SNOW.

TO A HANDFUL OF MUMMY WHEAT.

ON THE FLY-LEAF OF DANTE'S ‘VITA NUOVA.’

FUMES OF CHARCOAL. September, 1889. I.

FUMES OF CHARCOAL. September, 1889. II.

ON THE FLY-LEAF OF LEOPARDI'S POEMS.

THE GRAVE OF OMAR KHAYYÁM.

TO MY TORTOISE ANANKÉ.

EPILOGUE TO THESE SONNETS.

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64

THE RANSOM OF PERU.

The conquered Inca to Pizarro said:
‘I swear to fill this hall with virgin gold,
As high as any Spaniard here can hold
His steel-gloved hand, if thou wilt spare my head.’

Then streamed the ingots from their rocky bed:
For weeks and weeks the tide of treasure roll'd
To reach the mark; but when the sum was told,
The victor only strangled him instead.

And many have said to Fate: ‘If I may eat
Life's sweet coarse bread, the ransom shall be pour'd
In rhymes of gold at thy victorious feet.’

But like Pizarro waiting for his hoard,
Fate gave them chains; and letting them complete
The glittering heap, then drew the strangling cord.