Emily Jane Brontë: The Complete Poems | ||
49. Gleneden's Dream
Tell me, watcher, is it winter?
Say how long my sleep has been?
Have the woods I left so lovely,
Lost their robes of tender green?
Say how long my sleep has been?
Have the woods I left so lovely,
Lost their robes of tender green?
Is the morning slow in coming?
Is the nighttime loath to go?
Tell me, are the dreary mountains
Drearier still with drifted snow?
Is the nighttime loath to go?
Tell me, are the dreary mountains
Drearier still with drifted snow?
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‘Captive, since thou sawest the forest
All its leaves have died away
And another March has woven
Garlands for another May—
All its leaves have died away
And another March has woven
Garlands for another May—
‘Ice has barred the Arctic water,
Soft south winds have set it free
And once more to deep green valley
Golden flowers might welcome thee’—
Soft south winds have set it free
And once more to deep green valley
Golden flowers might welcome thee’—
Watcher, in this lonely prison,
Shut from joy and kindly air
Heaven, descending in a vision
Taught my soul to do and bear—
Shut from joy and kindly air
Heaven, descending in a vision
Taught my soul to do and bear—
It was night, a night of winter;
I lay on the dungeon floor,
And all other sounds were silent—
All, except the river's roar—
I lay on the dungeon floor,
And all other sounds were silent—
All, except the river's roar—
Over Death, and Desolation,
Fireless hearths, and lifeless homes
Over orphans' heart-sick sorrows,
Over fathers' bloody tombs;
Fireless hearths, and lifeless homes
Over orphans' heart-sick sorrows,
Over fathers' bloody tombs;
Over friends that my arms never
Might embrace, in love again—
Memory pondered until madness
Struck its poignard in my brain—
Might embrace, in love again—
Memory pondered until madness
Struck its poignard in my brain—
Deepest slumber followed raving
Yet, methought, I brooded still
Still I saw my country bleeding
Dying for a Tyrant's will—
Yet, methought, I brooded still
Still I saw my country bleeding
Dying for a Tyrant's will—
Not because my bliss was blasted
Burned within, the avenging flame—
Not because my scattered kindred
Died in woe, or lived in shame
Burned within, the avenging flame—
Not because my scattered kindred
Died in woe, or lived in shame
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God doth know, I would have given
Every bosom dear to me
Could that sacrifice have purchased
Tortured Gondal's liberty!
Every bosom dear to me
Could that sacrifice have purchased
Tortured Gondal's liberty!
But, that at Ambition's bidding
All her cherished hopes should wane;
That her noblest sons should muster,
Strive, and fight and fall in vain—
All her cherished hopes should wane;
That her noblest sons should muster,
Strive, and fight and fall in vain—
Hut and castle, hall and cottage,
Roofless, crumbling to the ground—
Mighty Heaven, a glad Avenger
Thy eternal justice found!
Roofless, crumbling to the ground—
Mighty Heaven, a glad Avenger
Thy eternal justice found!
Yes, the arm that once would shudder
Even to pierce a wounded deer,
I beheld it, unrelenting,
Choke in blood its sovereign's prayer—
Even to pierce a wounded deer,
I beheld it, unrelenting,
Choke in blood its sovereign's prayer—
Glorious dream! I saw the city
Blazing in imperial shine;
And among adoring thousands
Stood a man of form divine—
Blazing in imperial shine;
And among adoring thousands
Stood a man of form divine—
None need point the princely victim
Now he smiles with royal pride!
Now his glance is bright as lightning:
Now—the knife is in his side!
Now he smiles with royal pride!
Now his glance is bright as lightning:
Now—the knife is in his side!
Ha, I saw how Death could darken—
Darken that triumphant eye!
His red heart's blood drenched my dagger;
My ear drank his dying sigh!
Darken that triumphant eye!
His red heart's blood drenched my dagger;
My ear drank his dying sigh!
Shadows come! What means this midnight?
O my God, I know it all!
Know the fever-dream is over;
Unavenged the Avengers fall!
O my God, I know it all!
Know the fever-dream is over;
Unavenged the Avengers fall!
Emily Jane Brontë: The Complete Poems | ||