 | Fantasy and Passion |  |
26
IVY.
Ill canst thou bide in alien lands like these,
Whose home lies overseas,
Among manorial halls, parks wide and fair,
Churches antique, and where
Long hedges flower in May and one can hark
To carollings from old England's lovely lark!
Whose home lies overseas,
Among manorial halls, parks wide and fair,
Churches antique, and where
Long hedges flower in May and one can hark
To carollings from old England's lovely lark!
Ill canst thou bide where memories are so brief,
Thou that hast bathed thy leaf
Deep in the shadowy past, and known strange things
Of crumbled queens and kings;
Thou whose green kindred, in years half forgot,
Robed the gray battlements of proud Camelot!
Thou that hast bathed thy leaf
Deep in the shadowy past, and known strange things
Of crumbled queens and kings;
Thou whose green kindred, in years half forgot,
Robed the gray battlements of proud Camelot!
Through all thy fibres' intricate expanse
Hast thou breathed sweet romance;
Ladies that long are dust thou hast beheld
Through dreamy days of eld;
Watched in broad castle-courts the merry light
Bathe gaudy banneret and resplendent knight!
Hast thou breathed sweet romance;
Ladies that long are dust thou hast beheld
Through dreamy days of eld;
Watched in broad castle-courts the merry light
Bathe gaudy banneret and resplendent knight!
And thou hast seen, on ancient lordly lawns,
The timorous dappled fawns;
Heard pensive pages with their suave lutes play
Some low Provençal lay;
Marked beauteous dames through arrased chambers glide,
With lazy graceful staghounds at their side!
The timorous dappled fawns;
Heard pensive pages with their suave lutes play
Some low Provençal lay;
Marked beauteous dames through arrased chambers glide,
With lazy graceful staghounds at their side!
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And thou hast gazed on splendid cavalcades
Of nobles, matrons, maids,
Winding from castle gates on breezy morns,
With golden peals of horns,
In velvet and brocade, in plumes and silk,
With falcons, and with palfreys white as milk!
Of nobles, matrons, maids,
Winding from castle gates on breezy morns,
With golden peals of horns,
In velvet and brocade, in plumes and silk,
With falcons, and with palfreys white as milk!
Through convent-casements thou hast peered, and there
Viewed the meek nun at prayer;
Seen, through rich panes dyed purple, gold, and rose,
Monks read old folios;
On abbey-walls heard wild laughs thrill thy vine
When the fat tonsured priests quaffed ruby wine!
Viewed the meek nun at prayer;
Seen, through rich panes dyed purple, gold, and rose,
Monks read old folios;
On abbey-walls heard wild laughs thrill thy vine
When the fat tonsured priests quaffed ruby wine!
O ivy, having lived in times like these,
Here art thou ill at ease;
For thou art one with ages passed away,
We are of yesterday!
Short retrospect, slight ancestry is ours,
But thy dark leaves clothe history's haughty towers!
Here art thou ill at ease;
For thou art one with ages passed away,
We are of yesterday!
Short retrospect, slight ancestry is ours,
But thy dark leaves clothe history's haughty towers!
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