 | Phantasmagoria |  |
51
The Tropic Isle.
'Tis a spent volcano-crater down upon the fierce equator,
On the blazing tropic sea a tropic isle of blazing blossom,
Girted with a silver quarrel of sea-waves with reefs of coral
And a golden glass lagoon that takes the sunset to its bosom.
On the blazing tropic sea a tropic isle of blazing blossom,
Girted with a silver quarrel of sea-waves with reefs of coral
And a golden glass lagoon that takes the sunset to its bosom.
'Tis a magic isle, where clamber o'er green grottoes blooms of amber,
Over mineral stones than which the riots of green waves are duller
Burning with intenser fuel than the hot heart of a jewel,
Green as polar ice alive with rainbows of prismatic colour.
Over mineral stones than which the riots of green waves are duller
Burning with intenser fuel than the hot heart of a jewel,
Green as polar ice alive with rainbows of prismatic colour.
Yellow gems are in the gravel, where clear rivulets unravel,
Like green snakes, their spiry coils of sinuous, slow, anguineal motion.
Rich mosaic flowers engrailing either bank, light up the trailing
Waters like the painted snake-skin, till they writhe into the ocean.
Like green snakes, their spiry coils of sinuous, slow, anguineal motion.
Rich mosaic flowers engrailing either bank, light up the trailing
Waters like the painted snake-skin, till they writhe into the ocean.
And those coils appear to strangle many a green hill they entangle
In the glittering wreathing meshes of their cobra-like embraces,
Sliding slippery under bridges of felled trees and fallen ridges,
With their tail upon the mountains and the ocean at their faces.
In the glittering wreathing meshes of their cobra-like embraces,
Sliding slippery under bridges of felled trees and fallen ridges,
With their tail upon the mountains and the ocean at their faces.
52
Bread-fruits and pomegranates vary all the forest, and the prairie
Flickers with the flaming flowers that sway with fitful undulations,
And the marshes shine vermilion with strange rush-flowers by the million,
And the petals fall like wine drops through the woods in red libations.
Flickers with the flaming flowers that sway with fitful undulations,
And the marshes shine vermilion with strange rush-flowers by the million,
And the petals fall like wine drops through the woods in red libations.
Birds with plumes of sunsmit showers make gold rain among the flowers,
Humming birds and birds of Eden, flitting with phantasmal feather,
Clear, electric, iridescent, fleeting, flitting, evanescent.
Gaudy parrots in the branches hold communion loud together.
Humming birds and birds of Eden, flitting with phantasmal feather,
Clear, electric, iridescent, fleeting, flitting, evanescent.
Gaudy parrots in the branches hold communion loud together.
Oft that isle appears before me when the dreams of sleep come o'er me.
There I seem to live with thee far off from men, from death, from sorrow;
Ah, would that dawn brought no heart-breaking, that hope were truth, and dreams were waking,
And not the vision of to-day the sad derision of to-morrow!
There I seem to live with thee far off from men, from death, from sorrow;
Ah, would that dawn brought no heart-breaking, that hope were truth, and dreams were waking,
And not the vision of to-day the sad derision of to-morrow!
May 1st, 1885.
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