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221
AMOR AS LANDSCAPE-PAINTER
On a point of rock I sat one morning,
Gazed with fixèd eyes upon the vapour,
Like a sheet of solid grey outspreading
Did it cover all in plain and mountain.
Gazed with fixèd eyes upon the vapour,
Like a sheet of solid grey outspreading
Did it cover all in plain and mountain.
By my side meanwhile a boy had placed him,
And he spake. “Good friend, how can'st thou calmly
Stare upon the void grey sheet before thee?
Hast thou then for painting and for modelling
All desire, it seemeth, lost for ever?”
And he spake. “Good friend, how can'st thou calmly
Stare upon the void grey sheet before thee?
Hast thou then for painting and for modelling
All desire, it seemeth, lost for ever?”
On the child I looked, and thought in secret,
“Would the little lad then play the Master?”
“Would the little lad then play the Master?”
“If thou wouldst be ever sad and idle,”
Spake the boy, “no thing of skill can follow.
Look! I'll paint you straight a little picture,
Teach you how to paint a pretty picture.”
Spake the boy, “no thing of skill can follow.
Look! I'll paint you straight a little picture,
Teach you how to paint a pretty picture.”
And thereon forth stretched he his forefinger,
Which was rosy even as a rose blossom,
To the ample canvas strained before him
Set to work at sketching with his finger.
There on high a glorious sun he painted,
Which mine eyes with its effulgence dazzled,
And the fringe of clouds he made it golden.
Through the clouds he let press forth the sunbeams,
Then the tree-tops delicate, light, he painted,
Late refreshed and quickened. Over the hillrange
Hill behind hill folded, for a background.
Nor were waters wanting. There below them
He the river limned, so true to Nature,
That it seemed to sparkle in the sunbeams,
That against its banks it seemed to murmur.
Which was rosy even as a rose blossom,
To the ample canvas strained before him
Set to work at sketching with his finger.
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Which mine eyes with its effulgence dazzled,
And the fringe of clouds he made it golden.
Through the clouds he let press forth the sunbeams,
Then the tree-tops delicate, light, he painted,
Late refreshed and quickened. Over the hillrange
Hill behind hill folded, for a background.
Nor were waters wanting. There below them
He the river limned, so true to Nature,
That it seemed to sparkle in the sunbeams,
That against its banks it seemed to murmur.
And there stood beside the river flowers,
And their colours glowed upon the meadow,
Gold and an enamel green and purple;
As if all were emerald and carbuncle.
Pure and clear above he limned the heaven,
And the azure mountains far and further,
So that I, new-born and all enraptured,
Gazed on now the painter, now the picture.
And their colours glowed upon the meadow,
Gold and an enamel green and purple;
As if all were emerald and carbuncle.
Pure and clear above he limned the heaven,
And the azure mountains far and further,
So that I, new-born and all enraptured,
Gazed on now the painter, now the picture.
“I have given thee proof, perhaps,” so spake he,
“That this handicraft I've comprehended
But the hardest part is yet to follow.”
“That this handicraft I've comprehended
But the hardest part is yet to follow.”
Then and with his finger-tip he outlined,
Using utmost care beside the thicket,
At the point where from earth's gleaming surface
Was the sun cast back in all its radiance—
Outlined there the loveliest of maidens,
Fair of form, now clad in richest raiment,
Brown her hair and 'neath it cheeks the freshest
And the cheeks were of the self-same colour
As the pretty finger that had drawn them.
Using utmost care beside the thicket,
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Was the sun cast back in all its radiance—
Outlined there the loveliest of maidens,
Fair of form, now clad in richest raiment,
Brown her hair and 'neath it cheeks the freshest
And the cheeks were of the self-same colour
As the pretty finger that had drawn them.
“O my boy,” I cried, “declare what master
Did receive thee in his school as pupil,
That so swiftly and so true to Nature
Thou with skill beginn'st and well completest?”
Did receive thee in his school as pupil,
That so swiftly and so true to Nature
Thou with skill beginn'st and well completest?”
But while yet I spake a breeze uprises,
And behold, it sets astir the summits,
Curleth every wave upon the river,
Puffs the veil out of the charming maiden.
And, what me the astonished, more astonished,
Now the maiden's foot is put in motion,
She advances, and to the place draws nearer,
Where I sit beside the cunning Master.
And behold, it sets astir the summits,
Curleth every wave upon the river,
Puffs the veil out of the charming maiden.
And, what me the astonished, more astonished,
Now the maiden's foot is put in motion,
She advances, and to the place draws nearer,
Where I sit beside the cunning Master.
Now when all things, all things are in motion,
Trees and river, flowers and veil outblowing,
And the slender foot of her the fairest,
Think you I upon my rock stayed seated,
Speechless as a rock and as immobile?
Trees and river, flowers and veil outblowing,
And the slender foot of her the fairest,
Think you I upon my rock stayed seated,
Speechless as a rock and as immobile?
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