 | [Poems by Cary in] Early and late poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary |  |
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A BALLAD OF CALDEN WATER.
Forward and back, from shore to shore,
All day the boat hath wended;
But now old Andrew drops his oar,
As if his task were ended.
All day the boat hath wended;
But now old Andrew drops his oar,
As if his task were ended.
“The clouds are gathering black,” he said,
“The pine-tree wildly tossing;
The traveller must be sore bestead
Who seeks to-night the crossing.”
“The pine-tree wildly tossing;
The traveller must be sore bestead
Who seeks to-night the crossing.”
He looks, and sees from vale or hill
No 'lated horseman riding;
But what is this, so white and still,
Adown the pathway gliding!
No 'lated horseman riding;
But what is this, so white and still,
Adown the pathway gliding!
He fears to meet some spirit pale,
Or wraith from out the water;
He sees the “Daisy of the Dale,”
The proud Lord Gowen's daughter.
Or wraith from out the water;
He sees the “Daisy of the Dale,”
The proud Lord Gowen's daughter.
Ah! many a time that timid dove,
Swift from her shadow flying,
Hath braved the darkness, all for love,
To Calden water hying.
Swift from her shadow flying,
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To Calden water hying.
And many a time before to-night
Hath Andrew rowed her over,
When softly through the waning light
She stole to meet her lover.
Hath Andrew rowed her over,
When softly through the waning light
She stole to meet her lover.
But that was in the days gone by;—
Alas! the old sad story—
'T was ere he heard the bugle-cry,
And turned from love to glory.
Alas! the old sad story—
'T was ere he heard the bugle-cry,
And turned from love to glory.
'T was when her foot came down the hill
As light as snowflake falling;
While over Calden water, still,
She heard her lover calling.
As light as snowflake falling;
While over Calden water, still,
She heard her lover calling.
She heard him singing, clear and low,
“The flower of love lies bleeding;”
The very echoes long ago
Have ceased their tender pleading.
“The flower of love lies bleeding;”
The very echoes long ago
Have ceased their tender pleading.
And he who sang that sweet refrain
Is sleeping where they found him,—
Upon the trampled battle-plain,
With his silent comrades round him.
Is sleeping where they found him,—
Upon the trampled battle-plain,
With his silent comrades round him.
While she—for months within the vale
Have tender maids been sighing,
Because the “Daisy of the Dale,”
Its sweetest flower, was dying.
Have tender maids been sighing,
Because the “Daisy of the Dale,”
Its sweetest flower, was dying.
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And Andrew, rowing many a night,
Hath sadly mused about her;
While from her chamber, high, the light
Streamed o'er the Calden water.
Hath sadly mused about her;
While from her chamber, high, the light
Streamed o'er the Calden water.
What marvel that he clasps his hands,
And prays the saints to guide him,
As, crossing now the cold wet sands,
She takes her seat beside him.
And prays the saints to guide him,
As, crossing now the cold wet sands,
She takes her seat beside him.
She speaks no word of sweet command,
The proud Lord Gowen's daughter;—
She signs him with her flower-like hand
To cross the Calden water.
The proud Lord Gowen's daughter;—
She signs him with her flower-like hand
To cross the Calden water.
Trembling old Andrew takes the oar,
Silent he rows her over;
Silent she steps upon the shore
Where once she met her lover.
Silent he rows her over;
Silent she steps upon the shore
Where once she met her lover.
There is no sound of mortal tread,
Or mortal voice to greet her,
But noiselessly, as from the dead,
Her lover glides to meet her.
Or mortal voice to greet her,
But noiselessly, as from the dead,
Her lover glides to meet her.
One moment they each other fold
In clasp of love undying;
The next but shadows, deep and cold,
Upon the shore are lying.
In clasp of love undying;
The next but shadows, deep and cold,
Upon the shore are lying.
And see! the darkness grows more drear—
The pine more wildly tossing,
And backward to the shore in fear
Old Andrew swift is crossing.
The pine more wildly tossing,
And backward to the shore in fear
Old Andrew swift is crossing.
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He drops his oar, he leaves his boat,
He heeds nor fiend nor mortal;
He 's crossed the castle's bridge and moat,
He stands within the portal.
He heeds nor fiend nor mortal;
He 's crossed the castle's bridge and moat,
He stands within the portal.
Still on, as one who has no power
Of pausing or of turning,
He mounts unto the very tower,
Where yet the light is burning.
Of pausing or of turning,
He mounts unto the very tower,
Where yet the light is burning.
And there he sees a snow-white bed,
And sees, with eyes affrighted,
Set at the feet and at the head
The waxen candles lighted.
And sees, with eyes affrighted,
Set at the feet and at the head
The waxen candles lighted.
Upon a lovely, piteous sight
As e'er was seen, he gazes:—
A maiden in her dead-clothes white,
And all bestrewn with daisies!
As e'er was seen, he gazes:—
A maiden in her dead-clothes white,
And all bestrewn with daisies!
| [Poems by Cary in] Early and late poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary | |