[Poems by Wilde in] Richard Henry Wilde His Life and Selected Poems |
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LOVE AND REASON ON THE DEVICE OF A SEAL REASON GIVING WINGS TO LOVE WITH THE LEGEND “SE VEDE, VOLA” |
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 | [Poems by Wilde in] Richard Henry Wilde |  |
LOVE AND REASON ON THE DEVICE OF A SEAL REASON GIVING WINGS TO LOVE WITH THE LEGEND “SE VEDE, VOLA”
Venus once bound on Cupid's eyes
A fillet stolen from Fancy's bow,
And sent him wandering from the skies
To seek his fortune here below.
A fillet stolen from Fancy's bow,
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To seek his fortune here below.
With face of sun-shine soul of mirth
He roved through wood and mead and bower
Making a sweeter heaven on earth
Such was of Fancy's spell the power.
He roved through wood and mead and bower
Making a sweeter heaven on earth
Such was of Fancy's spell the power.
Sometimes he thought he chased through air
The loveliest butterflies—and laugh'd
While wounding many a bosom fair
To see them fluttering on his shaft.
The loveliest butterflies—and laugh'd
While wounding many a bosom fair
To see them fluttering on his shaft.
Reason who found an infant boy
Blindfold, alone, and far astray
In hopes to give the urchin joy
In pity tore the web away.
Blindfold, alone, and far astray
In hopes to give the urchin joy
In pity tore the web away.
Love saw—but with returning sight
Vanished the charm by Fancy given
Earth now for him held no delight
And the boy longed and pined for heaven.
Vanished the charm by Fancy given
Earth now for him held no delight
And the boy longed and pined for heaven.
Her own rash kindness Reason blamed
And the fond spell would fain restore,
It might not be—her power it shamed
The fillet would unite no more!
And the fond spell would fain restore,
It might not be—her power it shamed
The fillet would unite no more!
“Go! then,” she cries and o'er him flings
Down pinions of most rosy hue,
“Go say 'twas Reason gave thee wings!”
The urchin smiled, obeyed and flew!
Down pinions of most rosy hue,
“Go say 'twas Reason gave thee wings!”
The urchin smiled, obeyed and flew!
Lovers, who listen to the tale,
Mark well the moral it supplies,
Do not let Reason rend Love's veil
Remember if he sees he flies!
Mark well the moral it supplies,
Do not let Reason rend Love's veil
Remember if he sees he flies!
| [Poems by Wilde in] Richard Henry Wilde | |