 | Sonnets in Switzerland and Italy |  |
48
LOCARNO IN RAIN
Rain on the heights, Italia grim and grey,And grey the valleys; Bellinzona's plain
And all its vines grey-cloaked in mist and rain,
And Lago Maggiore's northern bay
Through mist and cloud stretched ghost-like; so the day
Died on Locarno's hills in dreary pain;
Down dreary streets groaned by the dark-drenched wain,
And scarce their words the convent-bells could say
For muffled melancholy. By the lake
The frogs croaked loud; all else was lifeless, dull;
And drearily the boatman pushed ashore;
And I had come to thee, Italia, full
Of dreams of sunshine for the hearts that ache,
And Heaven above me blue for evermore!
| Sonnets in Switzerland and Italy | |