 | Golden Histories, etc |  |
220
The Lost Angel
It was the dawn; the early day
With rosy finger drew away
The veil of night—a various grey.
With rosy finger drew away
The veil of night—a various grey.
The stars that in the dark had stood,
Half prominent and half subdued,
An archangelic multitude,
Half prominent and half subdued,
An archangelic multitude,
On the blue summit of the sky,
Now one by one came down from high,
And died, as all fair things must die.
Now one by one came down from high,
And died, as all fair things must die.
One star alone grew yet more bright,
Grew larger with the death of night,
And cast on flower and tree fresh light:
Grew larger with the death of night,
And cast on flower and tree fresh light:
But chiefly fell its mystic beams
On the pale maiden of my dreams,
Who weeps by Eden's holy streams.
On the pale maiden of my dreams,
Who weeps by Eden's holy streams.
221
She, self-reproached and self-betray'd,
Half sorrowful and half dismay'd,
Grieves under an enchanted shade.
Half sorrowful and half dismay'd,
Grieves under an enchanted shade.
“O star,” she cries, “dost thou regain
“Thine ancient splendour? fair domain
“Made fairer to increase my pain!
“Thine ancient splendour? fair domain
“Made fairer to increase my pain!
“O star! be sad as I am sad,
“Our dear lost angel is not glad,
“And can we have the joy we had?”
“Our dear lost angel is not glad,
“And can we have the joy we had?”
So grieves she still, so still resents
Her angel's fate, and scarce laments
The trespass she but half repents.
Her angel's fate, and scarce laments
The trespass she but half repents.
But through the lattice-work of trees
A red and angry light she sees,
That rolls along the rolling breeze:
A red and angry light she sees,
That rolls along the rolling breeze:
It comes that way, it grows more red,
Self-moving, self-concentrated;
She sees it come, she droops her head.
Self-moving, self-concentrated;
She sees it come, she droops her head.
It comes more near: she sees, she hears,
She moves not: if she fears, she fears
As one who looks for falling spheres;
She moves not: if she fears, she fears
As one who looks for falling spheres;
And may not feel, and cannot know,
Whether such things as weal and woe.
Or love and grief, abide below.
Whether such things as weal and woe.
Or love and grief, abide below.
222
It comes, it stands the dawn beneath,
She feels the presence and the breath
Of him whom we poor men call Death:
She feels the presence and the breath
Of him whom we poor men call Death:
In crimson heart of flaming cloud
His shadowy head a Shadow bowed,
But opened wings like daylight's shroud,
His shadowy head a Shadow bowed,
But opened wings like daylight's shroud,
Embroidered by the sunset skies,
When day lay dead on Paradise,
And Eve taught Adam it would rise.
When day lay dead on Paradise,
And Eve taught Adam it would rise.
It touches her, her heart is cold,
Her eyes may look, but not behold,
And misty waves are round her roll'd.
Her eyes may look, but not behold,
And misty waves are round her roll'd.
| Golden Histories, etc | |