Idyls and Songs by Francis Turner Palgrave: 1848-1854 |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| XII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
 | XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. | XLI.
Lament and Answer. |
| XLII. |
| XLIII. |
| XLIV. |
| XLV. |
| XLVI. |
| XLVII. |
| XLIX. |
| L. |
| LI. |
| LII. |
| LIII. |
| LIV. |
| LV. |
| LVI. |
| LVII. |
| LVIII. |
| LIX. |
| LX. |
| LXI. |
| LXIII. |
| LXIII. |
| LXIV. |
| LXV. |
| LXVI. |
| LXVII. |
| LXVIII. |
| LXIX. |
| LXX. |
| LXXI. |
| LXXII. |
| LXXIII. |
| LXXIV. |
| LXXV. |
| LXXVI. |
| LXXVII. |
| LXXVIII. |
| LXXIX. |
| LXXX. |
| LXXXII. |
 | Idyls and Songs |  |
108
XLI. Lament and Answer.
LAMENT.
—ιοστεφανου στοματος γλυκειαν εδακρυσαν
ψυχαν αποπνεοντα γαλαθηνον τεκος.—
ψυχαν αποπνεοντα γαλαθηνον τεκος.—
Fond heart, well may'st thou loathe the day,
The hour that saw thy birth:
For know, for know thy little one
Is now dissolving earth.
The hour that saw thy birth:
For know, for know thy little one
Is now dissolving earth.
The form, thine eyes' fond dwelling-place,
Is better now unseen:
The soul that smiled and lisp'd to thee,
Is as it ne'er had been.
Is better now unseen:
The soul that smiled and lisp'd to thee,
Is as it ne'er had been.
Lay by the hope, fond heart, the hope,
In some far land to greet
The beckoning of her infant hands,
The twinkling of her feet:
In some far land to greet
The beckoning of her infant hands,
The twinkling of her feet:
The parted gold of sunny locks:
The heaving of the breast:
The gleam of half-awaken'd eyes;
The diamond dews of rest:
The heaving of the breast:
The gleam of half-awaken'd eyes;
The diamond dews of rest:
The smile that play'd o'er depths of sleep,
All touch of fear beguiling
That thou shouldst wake, while she should sleep
The sleep that knows no smiling.
All touch of fear beguiling
That thou shouldst wake, while she should sleep
The sleep that knows no smiling.
If individual life survives
That last faint parting moan,
Amidst so many thousand dead,
Say, could'st thou know thine own?—
That last faint parting moan,
Amidst so many thousand dead,
Say, could'st thou know thine own?—
—Lay by the hope, fond heart, and weep
The hour that saw her birth;
For know, for know thy little one
Is now dissolving earth.
The hour that saw her birth;
For know, for know thy little one
Is now dissolving earth.
109
ANSWER.
They bid me lay the hope aside:
They bid me sit and weep:
But how can I the thought deny
That waking follows sleep?
They bid me sit and weep:
But how can I the thought deny
That waking follows sleep?
I sleep—and yet the soul awakes:
I sleep: sleep ends in waking:
Thy words weigh down the broken heart
To depths of endless breaking.
I sleep: sleep ends in waking:
Thy words weigh down the broken heart
To depths of endless breaking.
I know that at my voice no more
The little footsteps stir:
I know she ne'er returns to me:
But I shall go to her.
The little footsteps stir:
I know she ne'er returns to me:
But I shall go to her.
A few short years—ah! long though short—
Mine own from me may sever:
One hour, one hour will bid us rise,
And leave her mine for ever.
Mine own from me may sever:
One hour, one hour will bid us rise,
And leave her mine for ever.
—Then why forbid the tearful hope,
Why bid me sit and weep?
For how can I the thought deny
That waking follows sleep?
Why bid me sit and weep?
For how can I the thought deny
That waking follows sleep?
| Idyls and Songs | |