Poems By Richard Chenevix Trench: New ed |
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THE SEASONS. |
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112
THE SEASONS.
I.WINTER.
Pure ermine now the mountains wear,
And clothe with this their shoulders bare.
And clothe with this their shoulders bare.
The dark pine wears the snow, as head
Of Ethiop doth white turban wear.
Of Ethiop doth white turban wear.
The floods are armed with silver shields,
Through which the Sun's sword cannot fare;
Through which the Sun's sword cannot fare;
For he who once in mid heaven rode,
In golden arms, on golden chair,
In golden arms, on golden chair,
Now through small corner of the sky
Creeps low, nor warms the foggy air.
Creeps low, nor warms the foggy air.
To mutter 'twixt their teeth the streams,
In icy fetters, scarcely dare.
In icy fetters, scarcely dare.
Hushed is the busy hum of life;
'Tis silence in the earth and air.
'Tis silence in the earth and air.
From mountains issues the gaunt wolf,
And from its forest depths the bear.
And from its forest depths the bear.
Where is the garden's beauty now?
The thorn is here; the rose, oh where?
The thorn is here; the rose, oh where?
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The trees like giant skeletons,
Wave high their fleshless arms and bare;
Wave high their fleshless arms and bare;
Or stand like wrestlers stripped and bold,
And strongest winds to battle dare.
And strongest winds to battle dare.
It seems a thing impossible
That earth her glories should repair;
That earth her glories should repair;
That ever this bleak world again
Should bright and beauteous mantle wear,
Should bright and beauteous mantle wear,
Or sounds of life again be heard
In this dead earth and vacant air.
In this dead earth and vacant air.
II.SPRING.
Who was it that so lately said,
All pulses in thine heart were dead,
All pulses in thine heart were dead,
Old Earth, that now in festal robes
Appearest, as a bride new wed?
Appearest, as a bride new wed?
O wrapt so late in winding-sheet,
Thy winding-sheet, oh! where is fled?
Thy winding-sheet, oh! where is fled?
Lo! 'tis an emerald carpet now,
Where the young monarch, Spring, may tread.
Where the young monarch, Spring, may tread.
He comes,—and, a defeated king,
Old Winter to the hills is fled.
Old Winter to the hills is fled.
The warm wind broke his frosty spear,
And loosed the helmet from his head;
And loosed the helmet from his head;
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And he weak showers of arrowy sleet
From his strongholds has vainly sped.
From his strongholds has vainly sped.
All that was sleeping is awake,
And all is living that was dead.
And all is living that was dead.
Who listens now, can hear the streams
Leap tinkling down their pebbly bed;
Leap tinkling down their pebbly bed;
Or see them, from their fetters free,
Like silver snakes the meadows thread.
Like silver snakes the meadows thread.
The joy, the life, the hope of earth,
They slept awhile, they were not dead:
They slept awhile, they were not dead:
Oh thou who say'st thy sere heart ne'er
With verdure can again be spread;
With verdure can again be spread;
Oh thou who mournest them that sleep,
Low lying in an earthy bed;
Low lying in an earthy bed;
Look out on this reviving world,
And be new hopes within thee bred.
And be new hopes within thee bred.
III.SUMMER.
Now seems all nature to conspire,
As to dissolve the world in fire,
As to dissolve the world in fire,
Which dies among its odorous sweets,
A Phœnix on its funeral pyre.
A Phœnix on its funeral pyre.
Simoom breathes hotly from the waste,
The green earth quits her green attire;
The green earth quits her green attire;
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Floats o'er the plain the liquid heat,
Cheating the traveller's fond desire—
Cheating the traveller's fond desire—
Illusion fair of lake and stream,
Receding as he draweth nigher.
Receding as he draweth nigher.
Ice is more precious now than gold,
Snow more than silver men desire.
Snow more than silver men desire.
'Tis far to seek unfailing wells
For tender maid or aged sire;
For tender maid or aged sire;
Men know the worth of water now,
And learn to prize God's blessing higher;
And learn to prize God's blessing higher;
The shallow pools have disappeared,
Caked into iron is the mire.
Caked into iron is the mire.
Through clouds of dust the crimson sun
Glares on the earth in lurid ire;
Glares on the earth in lurid ire;
The parchëd earth with thirsty lips
Is gasping, ready to expire.
Is gasping, ready to expire.
Oh happy, who by liquid streams
In shady gardens can retire,
In shady gardens can retire,
Where murmuring falls and whispering trees
Sweet slumber to invite conspire;
Sweet slumber to invite conspire;
Or where he may deceive the time
With volume sage, or pensive lyre.
With volume sage, or pensive lyre.
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IV.AUTUMN.
Thine, Autumn, is unwelcome lore—
To tell the world its pomp is o'er:
To tell the world its pomp is o'er:
To whisper in the rose's ear,
That all her beauty is no more;
That all her beauty is no more;
And bid her own the faith how vain,
That Spring to her so lately swore.
That Spring to her so lately swore.
A queen deposed, she quits her state;
The nightingales her fall deplore:
The nightingales her fall deplore:
The hundred-voicëd bird may woo
The thousand-leavëd flower no more.
The thousand-leavëd flower no more.
The jasmine sinks its head in shame,
The sharp east wind its tresses shore;
The sharp east wind its tresses shore;
And robbed in passing cruelly
The tulip of the crown it wore.
The tulip of the crown it wore.
The lily's sword is broken now,
That was so bright and keen before;
That was so bright and keen before;
And not a blast can blow, but strews
With leaf of gold the earth's dank floor.
With leaf of gold the earth's dank floor.
The piping winds sing Nature's dirge,
As through the forest bleak they roar,
As through the forest bleak they roar,
Whose leafy screen, like locks of eld,
Each day shows scantier than before.
Each day shows scantier than before.
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Thou fadest as a flower, O man!
Of food for musing here is store.
Of food for musing here is store.
O man! thou fallest as a leaf:
Pace thoughtfully earth's leaf-strewn floor;
Pace thoughtfully earth's leaf-strewn floor;
Welcome the sadness of the time,
And lay to heart this natural lore.
And lay to heart this natural lore.
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