The Flood of Thessaly The Girl of Provence, and Other Poems. By Barry Cornwall [i.e. Bryan Waller Procter] |
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| IV. |
| V. | V. |
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| VIII. |
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 | The Flood of Thessaly |  |
V.
When first I saw her—(young Olympia!)
She lived not far from Florence. One may stray
Unto the valley where her cottage stood
On a bright morning, be the season good,
Summer or latest spring: Her dwelling was
Fenced round by trees which shatter'd the fierce air
To fragments, pine and oak; and ash was there
Which leaves its offspring berries to the grass,
And citron woods that shook out vast perfume,
And myrtles dowried with their richest bloom.
There dwelt she, sylvan goddess!—there she first
Swam on my sight: I thought my heart would burst
With transport as I saw her float along
Tow'rds me, and slowly read the carved song
Which on the oaken rind my knife had writ:
There was some idle praise, but more of wit
Had grown and mingled with that forest verse,
And I would often with a laugh rehearse
The song, thinking at times that some weak maid
Might love such incense if she thither strayed:
But I was to be victim: I had gone
Like an erratic fire upon my course,
Over the Heaven of beauty, all alone,
And now I felt Love's chaste and supreme force
Press on my very heart, until in pain
I utter'd consecrated vows,—in vain.
—She perished in her youth; nor should I now
Have told thus much, but that upon thy brow
I saw forgiveness—('twas in fancy this)
And smiles that recognized my vanished bliss
As a thing risen from the grave, and bright
As ever in the summer of thy sight.
She lived not far from Florence. One may stray
139
On a bright morning, be the season good,
Summer or latest spring: Her dwelling was
Fenced round by trees which shatter'd the fierce air
To fragments, pine and oak; and ash was there
Which leaves its offspring berries to the grass,
And citron woods that shook out vast perfume,
And myrtles dowried with their richest bloom.
There dwelt she, sylvan goddess!—there she first
Swam on my sight: I thought my heart would burst
With transport as I saw her float along
Tow'rds me, and slowly read the carved song
Which on the oaken rind my knife had writ:
There was some idle praise, but more of wit
Had grown and mingled with that forest verse,
And I would often with a laugh rehearse
The song, thinking at times that some weak maid
Might love such incense if she thither strayed:
But I was to be victim: I had gone
Like an erratic fire upon my course,
Over the Heaven of beauty, all alone,
And now I felt Love's chaste and supreme force
140
I utter'd consecrated vows,—in vain.
—She perished in her youth; nor should I now
Have told thus much, but that upon thy brow
I saw forgiveness—('twas in fancy this)
And smiles that recognized my vanished bliss
As a thing risen from the grave, and bright
As ever in the summer of thy sight.
When pale Olympia died my heavy mind
Grief-smitten languished to a deep eclipse;
Yet brief, for I arose, half sorrow-blind,
And on her marble-pale (but lovely) lips
Laid the last benediction of true faith,
And grew an alter'd man. Great misery hath
A lustre in it, like the clouded moon,
When, of her darkness unattired soon,
She streams illuminating land and sea:
So grief soon cast undazzling light on me;
I saw the many faults, the many ills,
The purer pleasures too that haunt sweet life,
And I determined me to quit the strife
And fever of rebellious joy, which fills
The mind with dull oblivion and sad care,
And scorn of all things here, gracious or fair.
Grief-smitten languished to a deep eclipse;
Yet brief, for I arose, half sorrow-blind,
And on her marble-pale (but lovely) lips
Laid the last benediction of true faith,
And grew an alter'd man. Great misery hath
A lustre in it, like the clouded moon,
When, of her darkness unattired soon,
She streams illuminating land and sea:
So grief soon cast undazzling light on me;
I saw the many faults, the many ills,
The purer pleasures too that haunt sweet life,
And I determined me to quit the strife
141
The mind with dull oblivion and sad care,
And scorn of all things here, gracious or fair.
| The Flood of Thessaly | |