 | Poems |  |
92
Empty Kisses
Εστι και εν κενεοισι φιλαμασιν αδεα τερψις.
Theocritus (Idyll III. 20).
Theocritus (Idyll III. 20).
Not barren are empty kisses,
But bearers of delight;
They fill our dreams with blisses,
With dreams they fill the night.
But bearers of delight;
They fill our dreams with blisses,
With dreams they fill the night.
Andromeda is sighing,
And Danäe forlorn;
And o'er the Eastern mountain
Aurora leads the morn!
And Danäe forlorn;
And o'er the Eastern mountain
Aurora leads the morn!
Lo! Atalanta races!
The magic apples roll!
Her steps the maid retraces;
Her lover gains the goal!
The magic apples roll!
Her steps the maid retraces;
Her lover gains the goal!
'Neath friendly billows flying,
Runs laughing Arethuse;
And faster than the fountain
The river-god pursues!
Runs laughing Arethuse;
And faster than the fountain
The river-god pursues!
Endymion, lapped in slumber,
Oblivious of the years,
No more the sheep shall number,
The pleasures nor the tears,—
Oblivious of the years,
No more the sheep shall number,
The pleasures nor the tears,—
93
In haloed moonlight lying,
Asleep for evermore;
With the wind upon the mountain,
And the sea upon the shore.
Asleep for evermore;
With the wind upon the mountain,
And the sea upon the shore.
Not barren are empty kisses,
But bearers of delight;
They fill our dreams with blisses,
With dreams they fill the night.
But bearers of delight;
They fill our dreams with blisses,
With dreams they fill the night.
| Poems | |