Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
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THE SONG TO THE ROSE. |
 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
THE SONG TO THE ROSE.
Oh! glorious rose,
No flower that blows,
May challenge thee,
For sovereignty.
No flower that blows,
May challenge thee,
For sovereignty.
159
Thou seems't to spring,
Triumphant thing,
From thy bright sire—
A globe of fire!—
Triumphant thing,
From thy bright sire—
A globe of fire!—
What charms are thine,
Thou child divine—
Of yon throned sun,
Charms matched by none!
Thou child divine—
Of yon throned sun,
Charms matched by none!
From his own wings
Love brightly flings—
O'er thee, fair flower,
A starry dower:
Love brightly flings—
O'er thee, fair flower,
A starry dower:
And Fancy comes,
Crowned bloom of blooms—
To borrow light
From thee so bright.
Crowned bloom of blooms—
To borrow light
From thee so bright.
160
'Twas thus I praised
The rose, amazed
Its dazzling hue
And form to view!—
The rose, amazed
Its dazzling hue
And form to view!—
But Celia came—
That rose to shame—
With cheek more bright,
And eye of light!—
That rose to shame—
With cheek more bright,
And eye of light!—
The rose turned pale,
I saw it fail—
Its charms—shamed thing!—
I ceased to sing!
I saw it fail—
Its charms—shamed thing!—
I ceased to sing!
A brighter theme
For Fancy's dream—
I welcomed then,
And sang again!
For Fancy's dream—
I welcomed then,
And sang again!
161
My rhymes first ran,
My song began—
The rose to praise
In its full blaze—
My song began—
The rose to praise
In its full blaze—
Not with the rose
That song did close—
But none shall know
Its after-flow—
That song did close—
But none shall know
Its after-flow—
Roses and things
Which Nature brings—
To charm our hours
With pleasing powers—
Which Nature brings—
To charm our hours
With pleasing powers—
We may aloud
With zeal avowed—
Loud, long, and late!—
Thus celebrate!
With zeal avowed—
Loud, long, and late!—
Thus celebrate!
162
But thoughts there are—
Profound and rare—
Which we must keep—
In the heart's deep—
Profound and rare—
Which we must keep—
In the heart's deep—
Or only tell
To those who well
Those thoughts can weigh—
And feel their sway—
To those who well
Those thoughts can weigh—
And feel their sway—
E'en those who share—
Whose own they are!—
Ne'er tells my tongue,
How closed my song!
Whose own they are!—
Ne'er tells my tongue,
How closed my song!
None, none shall know
Its final flow—
I will not tell
Its silver spell!
Its final flow—
I will not tell
Its silver spell!
163
No ear shall find
Nor thought—nor mind—
Nor heart nor brain—
How closed my strain!
Nor thought—nor mind—
Nor heart nor brain—
How closed my strain!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |