 | The music-lesson of Confucius, And Other Poems |  |
73
TO YOU.
I.
WHEN day's red light is lost in night
As waking thoughts are lost in dreams,
And fancies flit in wanton flight
As fire-flies glisten o'er the streams,
And all the perfumes of the flowers
Have turned to nectar all the air,
What would you do in those sweet hours—
What would you do—if I were there?
As waking thoughts are lost in dreams,
And fancies flit in wanton flight
As fire-flies glisten o'er the streams,
And all the perfumes of the flowers
Have turned to nectar all the air,
What would you do in those sweet hours—
What would you do—if I were there?
In greenwood shade 'neath starry shine,
When singing to the midnight breeze,
You breathe the scent-life of the pine
And seek wild coverts 'mid the trees;
Wild heart, whose life is all in night!
Strange dreamer in the leafy lair,
What would you—far from others' sight!
What would you do—if I were there?
When singing to the midnight breeze,
You breathe the scent-life of the pine
And seek wild coverts 'mid the trees;
Wild heart, whose life is all in night!
Strange dreamer in the leafy lair,
What would you—far from others' sight!
What would you do—if I were there?
Full was the moon and high the sea
In hours when you and I were born;
Blood red the sky gleamed wondrously
Upon us in the early morn—
It bodes great hearts and bloody death;
But what for that would either care
If when we drew the parting breath
'Twere hand in hand together there?
In hours when you and I were born;
Blood red the sky gleamed wondrously
Upon us in the early morn—
It bodes great hearts and bloody death;
But what for that would either care
If when we drew the parting breath
'Twere hand in hand together there?
74
I see the full moon overhead,
I hear the rustle of the pines;
I see thee live who once wast dead,
I hear thee singing by the vines:
'Tis I myself—for we are one,
One thought alone and everywhere,
One Night, one Day—one Self, one Sun,
For we are All—for ever there.
I hear the rustle of the pines;
I see thee live who once wast dead,
I hear thee singing by the vines:
'Tis I myself—for we are one,
One thought alone and everywhere,
One Night, one Day—one Self, one Sun,
For we are All—for ever there.
II.
Although I know all earthly forms
Must meet with earth's decay,
I cannot think thy beauty's life
Will ever pass away.
When meaner shapes of loveliness
Return with every rain,
Can I believe that thou wilt fade,
And never come again?
Must meet with earth's decay,
I cannot think thy beauty's life
Will ever pass away.
When meaner shapes of loveliness
Return with every rain,
Can I believe that thou wilt fade,
And never come again?
When summer warms the forest fair
Its flowers again will blow,
When winter chills again the air
Again we'll see the snow:
The brook will flash through emerald grass,
The star from heaven high—
If lesser beauty cannot pass,
Can thine, sweet darling, die?
Its flowers again will blow,
When winter chills again the air
Again we'll see the snow:
The brook will flash through emerald grass,
The star from heaven high—
If lesser beauty cannot pass,
Can thine, sweet darling, die?
To think the love I feel for thee
Is love for earth alone,
That were a pain no joy on earth
Could e'er on earth atone.
The Lord who gave thee to my heart
Wields no such torturing rod.
Sweet heart, because I live in thee,
I do believe in God.
Is love for earth alone,
That were a pain no joy on earth
Could e'er on earth atone.
The Lord who gave thee to my heart
Wields no such torturing rod.
Sweet heart, because I live in thee,
I do believe in God.
75
Thou dearest of all living things,
Thou sunshine in my soul,
In thee a light of life upsprings
Beyond all life's control.
Full many a dungeon gets its light
From Heaven through narrow bars;—
To me there came an angel bright;
—I thought no more of stars.
Thou sunshine in my soul,
In thee a light of life upsprings
Beyond all life's control.
Full many a dungeon gets its light
From Heaven through narrow bars;—
To me there came an angel bright;
—I thought no more of stars.
III.
Whene'er thou movest, in every part
There waves a flowing rhyme;
The life of all the loveliest art
Which lived in olden time.
And if that art had ever been
What long it sought to be,
Then men long since in Art had seen
What still I find in thee.
There waves a flowing rhyme;
The life of all the loveliest art
Which lived in olden time.
And if that art had ever been
What long it sought to be,
Then men long since in Art had seen
What still I find in thee.
Whene'er I gaze into thine eyes
And deep love holds me dumb,
I feel the Past within me rise
Towards fairer dreams to come.
Then to the Present I am wed,
The Present bears me on;
Stars shine the brightest, it is said,
'Twixt darkness and the dawn.
And deep love holds me dumb,
I feel the Past within me rise
Towards fairer dreams to come.
Then to the Present I am wed,
The Present bears me on;
Stars shine the brightest, it is said,
'Twixt darkness and the dawn.
Whene'er thy fingers sweep the chords,
Whatever thou hast played,
My heart sweet-suffering seeks the words,
Those words which ne'er were made.
And though full many a golden phrase
In many a tongue may sound,
And poets rise to angel lays,
Those words will ne'er be found.
Whatever thou hast played,
My heart sweet-suffering seeks the words,
Those words which ne'er were made.
And though full many a golden phrase
In many a tongue may sound,
And poets rise to angel lays,
Those words will ne'er be found.
76
The Past is in thy grace, sweetheart,
The Present in thine eyes,
But in thy voice the Future thrills
With all its harmonies.
Thou showest God in calm or mirth,
There is a promise given
In thy deep eyes, that love on earth
Means endless joy in Heaven.
The Present in thine eyes,
But in thy voice the Future thrills
With all its harmonies.
Thou showest God in calm or mirth,
There is a promise given
In thy deep eyes, that love on earth
Means endless joy in Heaven.
| The music-lesson of Confucius, And Other Poems | |