The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley [i.e. J. B. L. Warren] |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
“LOVE SHADOWS” |
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 | The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley |  |
“LOVE SHADOWS”
Soul of love, life's only light,
Near thee, clothed in thy delight,
The dreaming of one dream of pain
Hath wakened me unblest.
Near thee, clothed in thy delight,
The dreaming of one dream of pain
Hath wakened me unblest.
Ay, and rest is near thee sweet;
But one dream-word will repeat
Sullen echoes, sad as rain,
In sorrow on my rest.
But one dream-word will repeat
Sullen echoes, sad as rain,
In sorrow on my rest.
And a whisper comes and goes
As mine eyelids vainly close,
“Time thy darling's cheek will stain,
Years thy love may test.”
As mine eyelids vainly close,
“Time thy darling's cheek will stain,
Years thy love may test.”
“Love endures not locks of grey.
Time, my lovers, looks your way,
Angry that ye are so fain,
He creeps to spoil your nest.”
Time, my lovers, looks your way,
Angry that ye are so fain,
He creeps to spoil your nest.”
Time is wroth because I steal
Waxen lips for my love's seal;
That thy kisses are as dew,
As faint warm gales thy sighs.
Waxen lips for my love's seal;
That thy kisses are as dew,
As faint warm gales thy sighs.
Thou art lovely in each word,
With ways gentler than a bird;
Thy delight is always new
As hunger or sun-rise.
With ways gentler than a bird;
Thy delight is always new
As hunger or sun-rise.
90
Time the serpent lies concealed
In the city, by the field;
We are clay beneath his hand
To leave and hate our joys.
In the city, by the field;
We are clay beneath his hand
To leave and hate our joys.
Time an adder lurks and glides
In Love's pleasant pasture-sides,
He hears vows many as the sand
Broken soon as toys.
In Love's pleasant pasture-sides,
He hears vows many as the sand
Broken soon as toys.
Time and Farewell hand in hand,
As sighing reeds, grey shadows stand
And whisper, “Life is not more dear
Than this nest they have strown;
As sighing reeds, grey shadows stand
And whisper, “Life is not more dear
Than this nest they have strown;
“Can he leave her?” Farewell sighs,
“I will rend them tho' each dies;
One boy's trouble, one maid's tear
Are nothing; both mine own!
“I will rend them tho' each dies;
One boy's trouble, one maid's tear
Are nothing; both mine own!
“This girl is pretty as she lies
With the tear half in her eyes;
And he seems, as if her breath
Made his own heart go.
With the tear half in her eyes;
And he seems, as if her breath
Made his own heart go.
“Time my brother, Death my friend,
Each relent; I never bend;
Tho' I seem less hard than Death,
I am utter steel and snow.
Each relent; I never bend;
Tho' I seem less hard than Death,
I am utter steel and snow.
“I bring fair faces to grey dust,
I change to loathing maiden trust,
As pear-bloom crumbles under rain;
I, Farewell, can do this.
I change to loathing maiden trust,
As pear-bloom crumbles under rain;
I, Farewell, can do this.
“For Love I bargain; he is sold.
I alter sweet lips into cold.
I rend as Death does, and my pain
Is terrible as his.
I alter sweet lips into cold.
I rend as Death does, and my pain
Is terrible as his.
“I let live but I can teach
Two souls, aching each for each,
To live and never meet again,
To love and never kiss.”
Two souls, aching each for each,
To live and never meet again,
To love and never kiss.”
91
So the shadow seemed to say,
And melted on the morning ray,
And I turned, and found my Pearl
Sweeter for surprise.
And melted on the morning ray,
And I turned, and found my Pearl
Sweeter for surprise.
Night is long and dreams are fleet;
I will deem their visions, sweet,
Light as that least ripple curl,
That on thy temple lies.
I will deem their visions, sweet,
Light as that least ripple curl,
That on thy temple lies.
Hold in mine thy rose lips fast;
Who shall say which kisses last?
What, tho' weeping-ripe, my girl,
Smile thro' rainy eyes.
Who shall say which kisses last?
What, tho' weeping-ripe, my girl,
Smile thro' rainy eyes.
Love me; spring goes; every hour
Beats out petals from the flower.
What, dear heart, if love be shed
Under foot as soon?
Beats out petals from the flower.
What, dear heart, if love be shed
Under foot as soon?
Shall the rolling month lay mute
Honey word and tender suit?
Shall the discord of the dead
Alter all Love's tune?
Honey word and tender suit?
Shall the discord of the dead
Alter all Love's tune?
Ah, we know not; but indeed
It may sweeten true Love's need,
Hearing near a phantom tread,
Black in golden noon.
It may sweeten true Love's need,
Hearing near a phantom tread,
Black in golden noon.
| The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley | |