 | A Tale of Eternity and Other Poems |  |
382
AN APOLOGUE.
In the olden day when Immortals
Came oftener visibly down,
There went a Youth with an Angel
Thro' the gate of an Eastern Town:
They passed a Dog by the road-side,
Where dead and rotting it lay,
And the Youth, at the ghastly odour,
Sickened and turned away.
He gathered his robes about him
And hastily hurried thence:
But nought annoyed the Angel's
Clear, pure, immortal sense.
Came oftener visibly down,
There went a Youth with an Angel
Thro' the gate of an Eastern Town:
They passed a Dog by the road-side,
Where dead and rotting it lay,
And the Youth, at the ghastly odour,
Sickened and turned away.
He gathered his robes about him
And hastily hurried thence:
But nought annoyed the Angel's
Clear, pure, immortal sense.
383
By came a lady, lip-luscious,
On delicate tinkling feet:
All the place grew glad with her presence,
The air about her sweet;
For she came in fragrance floating,
And her voice most silverly rang;
The Youth, to embrace her beauty,
With all his being sprang.
A sweet, delightsome Lady:
And yet the Legend saith,
The Angel, while he passed her,
Shuddered and held his breath.
On delicate tinkling feet:
All the place grew glad with her presence,
The air about her sweet;
For she came in fragrance floating,
And her voice most silverly rang;
The Youth, to embrace her beauty,
With all his being sprang.
A sweet, delightsome Lady:
And yet the Legend saith,
The Angel, while he passed her,
Shuddered and held his breath.
| A Tale of Eternity and Other Poems | |