 | Poems of home and travel |  |
243
A FANTASY.
O Maiden of the Forest,
Why play so loud and long?
Now let thy horn be silent,
Thy voice take up the song!
Why play so loud and long?
Now let thy horn be silent,
Thy voice take up the song!
I cannot choose but listen,
I cannot choose but follow,
Where'er thy blue eyes glisten
Across the woodlands hollow.
I cannot choose but follow,
Where'er thy blue eyes glisten
Across the woodlands hollow.
My heart is filled with brightness
As the heavens are filled with morn,
To hear the sounds enchanted
Leap from thy silver horn.
As the heavens are filled with morn,
To hear the sounds enchanted
Leap from thy silver horn.
244
Let the echoes rest a moment,
And let thy lips declare
If thou be of earth or ocean,
Or the flying shapes of air.
And let thy lips declare
If thou be of earth or ocean,
Or the flying shapes of air.
Let my mouth be free to kiss thee,
Let my hands be free to hold,
For I cannot choose but love thee,
And love is ever bold.
Let my hands be free to hold,
For I cannot choose but love thee,
And love is ever bold.
Still she played, and playing, fleeted
Before me as I sought her,
And the horn rang out this answer
Across the shaded water:
Before me as I sought her,
And the horn rang out this answer
Across the shaded water:
I play the strains enchanted
You cannot choose but hear,
For your life is in the music,
And your heart sits at your ear.
You cannot choose but hear,
For your life is in the music,
And your heart sits at your ear.
I shall never cease my playing
For your love's impassioned prayer;
I shall never feel your kisses
Falling on my golden hair.
For your love's impassioned prayer;
I shall never feel your kisses
Falling on my golden hair.
245
For my touch would chill your pulses,
And my kiss make dim your eye,
And the horn will first be silent
In the hour that you shall die.
And my kiss make dim your eye,
And the horn will first be silent
In the hour that you shall die.
| Poems of home and travel | |