 | The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings |  |
ROMANCE
O soft and cool the pure, delicious breeze
Of morning blew across the sparkling bay,
And ringed with emerald and sapphire seas
Melting in golden distance Capri lay.
Of morning blew across the sparkling bay,
And ringed with emerald and sapphire seas
Melting in golden distance Capri lay.
The little steamer smoked and puffed and ploughed
Through waves like jewels leaping in the sun,
Her freight a gay and pleasure-seeking crowd,
Bent on a day's enjoyment, every one.
Through waves like jewels leaping in the sun,
Her freight a gay and pleasure-seeking crowd,
Bent on a day's enjoyment, every one.
42
Aft, in a corner, sheltered from the glare,
Two travellers sat quietly and close,
One sunny-haired and exquisitely fair,
With cheek as delicate as some fresh rose.
Two travellers sat quietly and close,
One sunny-haired and exquisitely fair,
With cheek as delicate as some fresh rose.
The crowd, the place, the planet might have been
Obliterated for that charming bride!
Under her parasol's dark silken screen
Six feet of manliness sat by her side.
Obliterated for that charming bride!
Under her parasol's dark silken screen
Six feet of manliness sat by her side.
Just so much measured her enchanted world!
Her whole horizon, it was plain to see.
With one gloved hand his blond moustache he curled
And forward leaned to whisper tenderly.
Her whole horizon, it was plain to see.
With one gloved hand his blond moustache he curled
And forward leaned to whisper tenderly.
Their elegance and most distinguished grace
My swift glance caught, swept heedlessly that way,
As wave and sky to me, they held their place,
Part of the pageant of the perfect day.
My swift glance caught, swept heedlessly that way,
As wave and sky to me, they held their place,
Part of the pageant of the perfect day.
Mediterranean splendors! What to her
Were matchless color and consummate form,
Vesuvius or Capri, or the stir
Of jewelled waves or breezes soft and warm?
Were matchless color and consummate form,
Vesuvius or Capri, or the stir
Of jewelled waves or breezes soft and warm?
The lovely island near and nearer drew,
Vesuvius' dusky plume lay thin and light
Behind us, dreaming in the lofty blue,—
Naples along the coast line glittered white.
Vesuvius' dusky plume lay thin and light
Behind us, dreaming in the lofty blue,—
Naples along the coast line glittered white.
Ah, how divinely beautiful! I thought,
And gazing round me with delighted eyes,
Again they chanced across the two and caught
A sudden dazzling gleam of Paradise.
And gazing round me with delighted eyes,
Again they chanced across the two and caught
A sudden dazzling gleam of Paradise.
43
'Twas but a look I saw her lift to him,
Swift, furtive,—but glory of the earth
Before its tempered radiance faded dim,
The wide world's beauty seemed as nothing worth
Swift, furtive,—but glory of the earth
Before its tempered radiance faded dim,
The wide world's beauty seemed as nothing worth
Compared to this strong, sweet and wondrous dream.
This hint of heaven, this potent spell,
This deep bewilderment of bliss supreme
No mind can fathom and no tongue can tell,
This hint of heaven, this potent spell,
This deep bewilderment of bliss supreme
No mind can fathom and no tongue can tell,
Alas! 'Twas long ago, I wonder where
Unresting Time has borne them since that day,
The handsome lover and the lady fair,
Measureless spaces from that dream away!
Unresting Time has borne them since that day,
The handsome lover and the lady fair,
Measureless spaces from that dream away!
But Nature keeps her youth, still Capri lies
Melting in sapphire, rose and amethyst,
The air breathes soft, clear smile the tender skies,
And the bright coast by sparkling waves is kissed.
Melting in sapphire, rose and amethyst,
The air breathes soft, clear smile the tender skies,
And the bright coast by sparkling waves is kissed.
| The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings | |