Glimpses of Antiquity Being a collection of metrical sketches, in the form of ballads, lyrics, &c., with main reference to mediaeval times or classical subjects. By George F. Preston [i.e. J. B. L. Warren] |
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THE NYMPHS' LAMENT FOR THE TITANS. |
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 | Glimpses of Antiquity |  |
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THE NYMPHS' LAMENT FOR THE TITANS.
Might of the earth-born,
Where art thou fallen?
Craft of the noblest,
Why hast thou failed?—
Fallen the earth-born Titans when all nature
Moaned in the new supremacy of Zeus!
And a disdainful Atè-vengeance
Floated about his halls,
On to the amber tables
Of the Elysians,
Above the cloud-rack!
But they sat and shuddered;
Yet she came not
'Mid the soft-bosomed meadows
Where the heroes
Repose eternally!
Where art thou fallen?
Craft of the noblest,
Why hast thou failed?—
Fallen the earth-born Titans when all nature
Moaned in the new supremacy of Zeus!
And a disdainful Atè-vengeance
Floated about his halls,
On to the amber tables
Of the Elysians,
Above the cloud-rack!
But they sat and shuddered;
Yet she came not
'Mid the soft-bosomed meadows
Where the heroes
Repose eternally!
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First-born of Cronos,
Thou may'st deck thy Heavens
In rainbows! Bid the scented Asphodel
Feign a wan summer, where no winter enters—
But give us Earth,
Earth, real, plenteous,
Imperfect, dying, bounteous,
Ever renewed!
Far from the tyrannous all-consuming glory
Of haughty Zeus
The God-absorbing God,
Essential and predominant.
Thou may'st deck thy Heavens
In rainbows! Bid the scented Asphodel
Feign a wan summer, where no winter enters—
But give us Earth,
Earth, real, plenteous,
Imperfect, dying, bounteous,
Ever renewed!
Far from the tyrannous all-consuming glory
Of haughty Zeus
The God-absorbing God,
Essential and predominant.
Give us Earth!—Love!
Love tho' a mortal one, and hand in hand
We will tread pleasant pastures, and out-myriad
The stars with tender vows!
And syllable most fervent oaths
Fraught with our deepest energy and life—
That may not last one moon out?
And our hot kisses
Shall be as revelations
Of something which perfection cannot give,
Earth-savouring, earth-imperfect;
Yet to us
Worth all the sameness of a stale Olympus.
Love tho' a mortal one, and hand in hand
We will tread pleasant pastures, and out-myriad
The stars with tender vows!
And syllable most fervent oaths
Fraught with our deepest energy and life—
That may not last one moon out?
And our hot kisses
Shall be as revelations
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Earth-savouring, earth-imperfect;
Yet to us
Worth all the sameness of a stale Olympus.
Nothing is eternal but sensation.
Zeus cannot touch it, elder, more original,
Than his new generation.—
Look deep into mine eyes; wert thou a God
I could not love thee more, my mortal lover.
Be with me always!
I ask no more; be with me, 'tis enough.
Zeus cannot touch it, elder, more original,
Than his new generation.—
Look deep into mine eyes; wert thou a God
I could not love thee more, my mortal lover.
Be with me always!
I ask no more; be with me, 'tis enough.
We are but motes in destiny,
Atoms of one transcendent whole,
Unoriginated! and our joys
Are to our natures woof and web!
Endless undistinguishable threadings
In an interminable
Maze of being.
And in the soul of each
There rests a law,
Dark yet untransgressible.
That winds us on the distaff of necessity,
Or binds us in the whirl-dance of our destiny;—
While to our thirsty beings,
Fainting, despondent,
Love's imperial chalice,
The deep grace-cup of forever,
Freshens unfailing.
Existence ends,
When love is sped,
Annihilation waits us!
Atoms of one transcendent whole,
Unoriginated! and our joys
Are to our natures woof and web!
Endless undistinguishable threadings
In an interminable
Maze of being.
And in the soul of each
There rests a law,
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That winds us on the distaff of necessity,
Or binds us in the whirl-dance of our destiny;—
While to our thirsty beings,
Fainting, despondent,
Love's imperial chalice,
The deep grace-cup of forever,
Freshens unfailing.
Existence ends,
When love is sped,
Annihilation waits us!
| Glimpses of Antiquity | |