Edward Cracroft Lefroy: His Life and Poems including a Reprint of Echoes from Theocritus: By Wilfred Austin Gill: With a Critical Estimate of the Sonnets by the late John Addington Symonds |
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| RONDEAUS
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 | Edward Cracroft Lefroy: His Life and Poems |  |
157
RONDEAUS
IN THE MANNER OF MR. AUSTIN DOBSON
I
When Phillis frowns, an ugly blight
Descends where all before was light,
Steals o'er the sunshine of her face,
And quite eclipses half the grace
Wherewith the queenly maid is dight.
Descends where all before was light,
Steals o'er the sunshine of her face,
And quite eclipses half the grace
Wherewith the queenly maid is dight.
Her faëry guards in very fright
Unfold their wings, and take to flight;
Creatures of earth and air give place,
When Phillis frowns.
Unfold their wings, and take to flight;
Creatures of earth and air give place,
When Phillis frowns.
I may not—would not, if I might,—
Behold at large the woeful sight.
Let Nature's healing sleep efface
Unlovely lines in soft embrace:
Sweet Day, adieu! Come, gentle Night,
When Phillis frowns!
Behold at large the woeful sight.
Let Nature's healing sleep efface
Unlovely lines in soft embrace:
Sweet Day, adieu! Come, gentle Night,
When Phillis frowns!
II
O Love, how fair thou art to-day—
I would thy face were so alway!
O Love, how fair thou art; and yet
How apt, O Love, to play coquette,
As if the part were sweet to play.
I would thy face were so alway!
O Love, how fair thou art; and yet
How apt, O Love, to play coquette,
As if the part were sweet to play.
At times as bright and blithe and gay
As ripples in the coral bay,—
Without foreboding or regret,—
O Love, how fair!
As ripples in the coral bay,—
Without foreboding or regret,—
O Love, how fair!
158
At times; but 'tis not always May,
And when thy votaress, Miss A.
Makes up with him for whist a set,
Or trills with him the soft duet,
'Tis not so easy then to say,
“O Love, how fair!”
And when thy votaress, Miss A.
Makes up with him for whist a set,
Or trills with him the soft duet,
'Tis not so easy then to say,
“O Love, how fair!”
III
To see His face is all her prayer;—
To see His face,—no matter where:
The sight of e'en the faintest trace
Would glorify a desert-place,
And make the wilderness look fair.
To see His face,—no matter where:
The sight of e'en the faintest trace
Would glorify a desert-place,
And make the wilderness look fair.
The heaviest burden Love could share,
The direst peril Love would dare,
If only for a little space
To see His face.
The direst peril Love would dare,
If only for a little space
To see His face.
Not yet, not here; Sweet soul, forbear
To fret for one beyond thy care.
With hope assured, take heart of grace;
The wheels of Time roll on apace;
When death comes nigh, look up, prepare
To see His face.
To fret for one beyond thy care.
With hope assured, take heart of grace;
The wheels of Time roll on apace;
When death comes nigh, look up, prepare
To see His face.
IV
Forget-me-not! How Nature rears
Emblems of human hopes and fears
Under our feet! See where they grow,
The tiny flowers that lovers know.
And fame of old romance endears.
Emblems of human hopes and fears
Under our feet! See where they grow,
The tiny flowers that lovers know.
And fame of old romance endears.
159
We part to-night! the moment nears;
Here is a blossom dewed with tears.
Reject it,—well! Accept, and so
Forget me not!
Here is a blossom dewed with tears.
Reject it,—well! Accept, and so
Forget me not!
Either let fate produce the shears,
And nip the bond that disappears;
Forget me now before you go,—
Or take the gift my hands bestow,
And then, through all the length of years
Forget me not!
And nip the bond that disappears;
Forget me now before you go,—
Or take the gift my hands bestow,
And then, through all the length of years
Forget me not!
May 1878.
| Edward Cracroft Lefroy: His Life and Poems | |