 | The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings |  |
FROM A CORNER
In the dusk of the winter evening
The curtains are drawn, and the light
Burns clear, and the brightness and comfort
Defy the dark, boisterous night.
The curtains are drawn, and the light
Burns clear, and the brightness and comfort
Defy the dark, boisterous night.
At the long room's end, in the corner,
Sits one with an artist's eyes,
Watching the changing pictures
That ever before her rise.
Sits one with an artist's eyes,
Watching the changing pictures
That ever before her rise.
At the piano together
Father and daughter begin
A sudden tumult of music;
And the tones of the violin
Father and daughter begin
A sudden tumult of music;
And the tones of the violin
Pierce with a wonderful sweetness
The air of the quiet room,
Till beautiful thoughts and fancies
Break into delicate bloom.
The air of the quiet room,
Till beautiful thoughts and fancies
Break into delicate bloom.
With loose, rich locks of silver,
Stately the father stands,
Like the statues which Michelangelo
Carved with his skilful hands;
Stately the father stands,
Like the statues which Michelangelo
Carved with his skilful hands;
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And the daughter is touched with the tropics,
Inheriting warmth and power,
Brilliant and glowing in color
As a fresh pomegranate-flower.
Inheriting warmth and power,
Brilliant and glowing in color
As a fresh pomegranate-flower.
They play together: the father
Over her head looks down,
And gathers his smooth white forehead
Into a splendid frown,
Over her head looks down,
And gathers his smooth white forehead
Into a splendid frown,
That yields to a smile at the voices,
As of spirits to heaven akin,
He calls with caressing gesture
From the exquisite violin.
As of spirits to heaven akin,
He calls with caressing gesture
From the exquisite violin.
Ah, but the charming picture!
His outlines grave and grand;
Her simple, sweet, frank presence
With youth's bright rainbow spanned;
His outlines grave and grand;
Her simple, sweet, frank presence
With youth's bright rainbow spanned;
His mystic and marble pallor;
Her midnight eyes, and her smile
That dazzles like sunshine at noonday
Flashed over the river Nile—
Her midnight eyes, and her smile
That dazzles like sunshine at noonday
Flashed over the river Nile—
The ancient Nile! For behold her!
How full of tokens and hints
Of a beauty oriental
In wonderful tones and tints!
How full of tokens and hints
Of a beauty oriental
In wonderful tones and tints!
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And the power of the East is in her,
The bright pomegranate-flower.
Thus muses our friend in the corner,
Enjoying the lovely hour.
The bright pomegranate-flower.
Thus muses our friend in the corner,
Enjoying the lovely hour.
There comes a ring at the door-bell.
A sound of trouble and ill:
The sparkling piano ceases
And the violin is still:
A sound of trouble and ill:
The sparkling piano ceases
And the violin is still:
And turns the stately maestro,
Like a lion about to growl,
And welcomes the dull newcomer
With such a magnificent scowl:
Like a lion about to growl,
And welcomes the dull newcomer
With such a magnificent scowl:
“Good-evening, neighbor.”—“Good-evening.”—
“'Tis a bitter night.”—“Oh yes.”—
“I think it will snow tomorrow.”
What echoes of emptiness!
“'Tis a bitter night.”—“Oh yes.”—
“I think it will snow tomorrow.”
What echoes of emptiness!
“And how is your influenza?
And, pray, have you heard the news,
How Smith is dead, and his nephew
Steps into his wealthy shoes?”
And, pray, have you heard the news,
How Smith is dead, and his nephew
Steps into his wealthy shoes?”
The gods take flight to Olympus,
And the matchless charm, that thrilled
The air with a rich enchantment,
Like a rose by frost is killed.
And the matchless charm, that thrilled
The air with a rich enchantment,
Like a rose by frost is killed.
| The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings | |