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211
LOVE THE POET.
“Love the Poet, pretty one.”
Barry Cornwall.
Barry Cornwall.
Thou, divine in Beauty's dower!
Thou to whom the World must bow!
Love the Poet! name of Power—
Name divine as thou!
Thou to whom the World must bow!
Love the Poet! name of Power—
Name divine as thou!
Maker, he, of mental treasure—
All delight, above, beneath;
Soothing sorrow—tearful pleasure,
Life, Existence, Death!
All delight, above, beneath;
Soothing sorrow—tearful pleasure,
Life, Existence, Death!
All of lovely, pure, excelling
Which refines the soul from Earth—
From the clayey prison-dwelling
Of its lowly birth!
Which refines the soul from Earth—
From the clayey prison-dwelling
Of its lowly birth!
Love him, lovely one, whose duty
'Tis to love all loveliness—
All the world can know of beauty—
More than it can guess.
'Tis to love all loveliness—
All the world can know of beauty—
More than it can guess.
212
Fire, of more than mortal splendour
Makes his breast a lightning cloud;—
Not less lofty 'tis than tender,
Sensitive as proud!
Makes his breast a lightning cloud;—
Not less lofty 'tis than tender,
Sensitive as proud!
He will mark each faint expression
Of the voice, the form, the face,
Shedding in its transient session
Momentary grace;
Of the voice, the form, the face,
Shedding in its transient session
Momentary grace;
Gesture, look, or tone concealing
Subtle charm from duller eye—
Flitting glimpse of thought or feeling,
All will he descry,
Subtle charm from duller eye—
Flitting glimpse of thought or feeling,
All will he descry,
Though less fleetly vary-sheening
Rainbow-coloured rays of light
Glance o'er tresses intervening
'Twixt the Sun and sight!
Rainbow-coloured rays of light
Glance o'er tresses intervening
'Twixt the Sun and sight!
Through your heart his Mind shall travel
Reading its sweet workings well—
Each emotion, throb, unravel
Which you cannot tell!
Reading its sweet workings well—
Each emotion, throb, unravel
Which you cannot tell!
Lofty feeling, pure and holy,
He will give it honour due—
Delicate weakness, fond or lowly,
He will cherish too!
He will give it honour due—
Delicate weakness, fond or lowly,
He will cherish too!
213
And with Fancy so prevailing
He will sing his loved-one fair,
It will turn a very failing
To a beauty rare!
He will sing his loved-one fair,
It will turn a very failing
To a beauty rare!
In such witching hues each merit
By his love-tones shall be drest—
You will feel yourself a Spirit,
Or an Angel blest!
By his love-tones shall be drest—
You will feel yourself a Spirit,
Or an Angel blest!
And young Love's divine delusion
Which they say must fly so fast,
In his fancy's rich profusion
He will bid it last.
Which they say must fly so fast,
In his fancy's rich profusion
He will bid it last.
While his judgment fore-discerning
Shall secure him from the fate
Of that Disappointment, turning
Coldness into Hate!
Shall secure him from the fate
Of that Disappointment, turning
Coldness into Hate!
His rich words such robes of glory
O'er thy lineaments shall throw,
'Mid the fairest dreams in story
Shall thine Image glow!
O'er thy lineaments shall throw,
'Mid the fairest dreams in story
Shall thine Image glow!
Thou shalt shine so in his pages,
Crowds to come shall worship thee;
There the love of future ages
Shall concentred be!
Crowds to come shall worship thee;
There the love of future ages
Shall concentred be!
214
To such insight he will move you
Into things that common be;
You shall find a Soul to love yon
In each star and tree!
Into things that common be;
You shall find a Soul to love yon
In each star and tree!
He will bid to instant being
Brighter worlds than yet have been—
Worlds evading vulgar seeing—
You shall be their Queen!
Brighter worlds than yet have been—
Worlds evading vulgar seeing—
You shall be their Queen!
And his Mind shall so adore you,
So shall make its might your own,
Time and Space shall bow before you,
Universe your Throne!—
So shall make its might your own,
Time and Space shall bow before you,
Universe your Throne!—
Would you bound in bright upbuoyance
From a sad world, blighted, banned?
Would you lead a life of joyance
In a fairy land?
From a sad world, blighted, banned?
Would you lead a life of joyance
In a fairy land?
Would you have each finest beauty
Well discerned and fully prized?
Not a charm of feeling, duty,
Overlooked—despised?
Well discerned and fully prized?
Not a charm of feeling, duty,
Overlooked—despised?
Would you learn all lore that's rarest,
And be loved by all for ever?
Love the Poet! sweetest, fairest,
Oh reject him never!
And be loved by all for ever?
Love the Poet! sweetest, fairest,
Oh reject him never!
Nov. 1832.
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