Dramatic Scenes :: :: University of Virginia Library

Sing me a soft love-laden song;
Tie up your hair in a tighter braid;
Here let us lie, in the cypress shade;
Here, where the feathery fountain sings,
And into the porphyry basin springs:

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Sparkling, flashing, along it goes,
Winding round by the sunny steep,
Whereon the quick green lizards creep;
Hush!—'tis gone to a deep repose,
There, where the rough rose-bramble blows.

Sing me a song, a sadder song;
All about her renowned in story,
Who died to consùmmate her lover's glory;
Took on her soul a grievous wrong;
Gave herself up, all, life and limb;
Trembled a little, and then grew dim;
Martyred alike in fame and pride;
Kissed the poison, and so she died.

Whisper another grief in song.
Where did Amalfi's daughter die?
Why do Moroni's turrets lie
Shattered by Time and the tempest strong?
Left to bare neglect so long?
Out in the wild Campagna, She
Wandered to save her soul from pain;
And there, where the poor and guilty flee,
Began the labour of life again.
Her tasks are over; life is done:
She fled with the light of the setting sun,
Into the azure, far away,
Till she met the dawn of another day.

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In the Negroni gardens, towers
Many a grave and princely pine,
Within whose spicy darkness shine
Lilies and creamy orange flowers,
And sculptured creatures, rare and fine,—
Marble Deities, each alone,
Born in heaven, and struck to stone:
Thither we'll hie in the dusky eve,
And hark to the measures that make us grieve;
Thou thyself shalt unloose thy tongue,
With the sweets of Archangelo's music hung.

Now let us end!—Yet, listen awhile,
With silent heart and a graver smile;
But back your hyacinth tresses fling,
That ravish the sweets that the summers bring.
Hush! the fountain upsprings again;
You may hear the words of the silver rain!
What do they tell off? Friendship long,
With seeds of the Love-flower sown among?
Of Fate the master? Life the slave?
Of Love that awaiteth beyond the grave?
So let it be:—My dear delight,
Now let us whisper the world “Good Night!”