 | Quo Musa Tendis? |  |
29
Question and Answer.
To H. R.
The Question.
The river is flowing,
The stars coming forth:
Great ruddy clouds going
From Westward to North:
The stars coming forth:
Great ruddy clouds going
From Westward to North:
The rushes are waving,
The water's still blue:
And I am behaving
Decorously too:
The water's still blue:
And I am behaving
Decorously too:
The amorous zephyr
Breathes soft in our ear:
Who hears not is deafer
Than adders, my dear:
Breathes soft in our ear:
Who hears not is deafer
Than adders, my dear:
Ah! list to the whisper
Of waters and sky!
Thames, vagabond lisper,
Grows subtle and sly.
Of waters and sky!
Thames, vagabond lisper,
Grows subtle and sly.
30
How trebly delicious
The air-draughts we quaff:
The hour is propitious:—
Oh!...why do you laugh?
The air-draughts we quaff:
The hour is propitious:—
Oh!...why do you laugh?
The Answer.
Ask the sky why it flushes,
The clouds why they glow:
The weir why it gushes,
The reeds why they grow;
The clouds why they glow:
The weir why it gushes,
The reeds why they grow;
The moon why it rises,
The sun why it sets:
Her why she surprises,
Him why he forgets;
The sun why it sets:
Her why she surprises,
Him why he forgets;
The star why it twinkles,
The west why it shines:
The brow why it wrinkles,
The heart why it pines:
The west why it shines:
The brow why it wrinkles,
The heart why it pines:
Mankind why they blunder,
The corn why there's chaff:
Ask yourself why you wonder—
Not me why I laugh!
The corn why there's chaff:
Ask yourself why you wonder—
Not me why I laugh!
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