Narcissus and Other Poems By E. Carpenter |
 |
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
THE SNOWDROP.
|
|
| I. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
 | Narcissus and Other Poems |  |
193
THE SNOWDROP.
Like a flame o'er earth and ocean
Broke the free tumultuous day,
Waking into glad commotion
Every budding spear and spray.
Broke the free tumultuous day,
Waking into glad commotion
Every budding spear and spray.
‘Spring is here, winter is over,’
Sang the lark, and soared on high;
‘Earth shall purple be with clover
Soon, beneath a summer sky.’
Sang the lark, and soared on high;
‘Earth shall purple be with clover
Soon, beneath a summer sky.’
Then a snowdrop, pale with pleading,
Passionate with intense light,
Sprang where Spring's sweet feet were treading,
Like a herald angel white.
Passionate with intense light,
Sprang where Spring's sweet feet were treading,
Like a herald angel white.
194
Quoth the lark: ‘All heaven is ringing,
For the cruel frost is gone;
Snowdrop, when the birds are singing,
Why art thou so pale and wan?
For the cruel frost is gone;
Snowdrop, when the birds are singing,
Why art thou so pale and wan?
‘Upward to the triumph splendid
Shouldst thou lift a laughing face,
But thy tear-crowned head is bended
To the ground in lowly grace.’
Shouldst thou lift a laughing face,
But thy tear-crowned head is bended
To the ground in lowly grace.’
And the snowdrop answered: ‘Given,
I had wings of thine to soar
From the fields of earth to heaven,
I would dream of grief no more;
I had wings of thine to soar
From the fields of earth to heaven,
I would dream of grief no more;
‘But, alas! my frame is slender,
At best shapen for a sigh;
If I should behold this splendour
I have prayed for, I should die;
At best shapen for a sigh;
If I should behold this splendour
I have prayed for, I should die;
‘For my feet are closely holden
In the darkness of my grave,
And though visions of the golden
Summer round my spirit wave,
In the darkness of my grave,
And though visions of the golden
Summer round my spirit wave,
195
‘Yet I know that I shall perish
Ere those happy days arise,
And the visions that I cherish
Shall be shown to other eyes.
Ere those happy days arise,
And the visions that I cherish
Shall be shown to other eyes.
‘Be it so. And since for others
All my fancies are fulfilled,
I am glad; for we are brothers.
I will live as God has willed.
All my fancies are fulfilled,
I am glad; for we are brothers.
I will live as God has willed.
‘And I feel that somewhere for me
Joy fulfils itself on high;
But I look not on this glory
I have prayed for, lest I die.’
Joy fulfils itself on high;
But I look not on this glory
I have prayed for, lest I die.’
| Narcissus and Other Poems | |