 | Studies from the Antique and Sketches from Nature |  |
105
THE DREAM OF ANACREON.
Last night my dreams took fearful shape:
I dreamed that Earth had lost the grape,
And that the only cup of wine
Left in the wretched world was mine.
I raised it to my thirsty mouth,
Flushed with desire and parched with drouth,
To fire and animate my soul,
When lo! the false malicious bowl
Crashed in my hand that tightly bound,
And shed the treasure on the ground.
“Ah, well!”;I sighed, “if such it be,
I am resigned to Fate's decree.”
The wild winds blow,
The rain-drops flow,
Heaven's noblest gifts are with us still,
And plenty skips on plain and hill;
I'll cease to mourn the perished vine,
And Water shall be good as wine!
I dreamed that Earth had lost the grape,
And that the only cup of wine
Left in the wretched world was mine.
I raised it to my thirsty mouth,
Flushed with desire and parched with drouth,
To fire and animate my soul,
When lo! the false malicious bowl
Crashed in my hand that tightly bound,
And shed the treasure on the ground.
“Ah, well!”;I sighed, “if such it be,
I am resigned to Fate's decree.”
The wild winds blow,
The rain-drops flow,
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And plenty skips on plain and hill;
I'll cease to mourn the perished vine,
And Water shall be good as wine!
My second dream was darker far—
The world had lost its guiding star,
Its glory and delight were gone,
Immortal Love had heavenward flown;
I knew no more its cheerful bliss,
For 't was impossible to kiss,
Though youthful lips might strive to meet
In fond commingling, pure and sweet:
Some force, result of demon art,
Kept them eternally apart.
“Ah me!”;I cried, “'t is time to die,
No joy is left beneath the sky!”
I slumbering spoke—
I groaned and woke—
And found my Phryné at my side—
Mine own, my beautiful, my bride;
And to repay me for my pain,
I kissed her thrice, and thrice again!
The world had lost its guiding star,
Its glory and delight were gone,
Immortal Love had heavenward flown;
I knew no more its cheerful bliss,
For 't was impossible to kiss,
Though youthful lips might strive to meet
In fond commingling, pure and sweet:
Some force, result of demon art,
Kept them eternally apart.
“Ah me!”;I cried, “'t is time to die,
No joy is left beneath the sky!”
I slumbering spoke—
I groaned and woke—
And found my Phryné at my side—
Mine own, my beautiful, my bride;
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I kissed her thrice, and thrice again!
And when the moving light up-sprent,
And forth into the world I went,
And heard the silly crowd complain
Of grief, and penury, and pain;
Or rich men groan at fancied ill,
The mere diseases of the will;
Or poor men sigh, whose limbs were strong,
At petty care or transient wrong;
Or dull philosophers declare
That human life was hard to bear—
Oh fools! I cried, look forth, and see
What bounteous gifts the gods decree!
While beams the sun,
Or rivers run,
The water and the wine shall flow;
For health and strength, and balm of woe,
And Love, eternal as the spheres,
Shine through the rain of human tears!
And forth into the world I went,
And heard the silly crowd complain
Of grief, and penury, and pain;
Or rich men groan at fancied ill,
The mere diseases of the will;
Or poor men sigh, whose limbs were strong,
At petty care or transient wrong;
Or dull philosophers declare
That human life was hard to bear—
Oh fools! I cried, look forth, and see
What bounteous gifts the gods decree!
While beams the sun,
Or rivers run,
The water and the wine shall flow;
For health and strength, and balm of woe,
And Love, eternal as the spheres,
Shine through the rain of human tears!
| Studies from the Antique and Sketches from Nature | |