Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs By Walter Thornbury. Illustrated by J. Whistler, F. Walker, John Tenniel, J. D. Watson, W. Small, F. Sandys, G. J. Pinwell, T. Morten, M. J. Lawless, and many others |
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The Passing Cloud.
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 | Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs |  |
The Passing Cloud.
O cloud, so beautiful and fleet,
Passing where fierce suns burn and beat,
O'er heights untrod by human feet!
Passing where fierce suns burn and beat,
O'er heights untrod by human feet!
Chameleon cloud, of iris hue,
—As changeful as a drop of dew,
How many shapes in moments few!—
—As changeful as a drop of dew,
How many shapes in moments few!—
A car, a globe, a golden gloom,
How many forms thou dost assume!
A mountain, pyramid, or tomb.
How many forms thou dost assume!
A mountain, pyramid, or tomb.
So many shapes beneath the sun,
So many dyes that fusing run,
And beauty still in every one.
So many dyes that fusing run,
And beauty still in every one.
Tinged with the hue the rainbows cast
On snow-peaks, where their image fast
Fades down before the scowling blast.
On snow-peaks, where their image fast
Fades down before the scowling blast.
Such golden light the young moon threw
Upon the still drops of the dew,
What time the night-wind fresher blew.
Upon the still drops of the dew,
What time the night-wind fresher blew.
Such lustre water-lilies throw
Upon the brook that lies below,
Lipping their blossoms with its flow.
Upon the brook that lies below,
Lipping their blossoms with its flow.
'T would make a brain-sick painter pine
To win a hue to match with thine,
To make his martyr's mantle shine.
To win a hue to match with thine,
To make his martyr's mantle shine.
In such a cloud the angels seek
The hermit on the granite peak,
So pale, so humble, and so meek.
The hermit on the granite peak,
So pale, so humble, and so meek.
Such cloud when Jesus, long ere day,
Had sought the mountain-top to pray,
A halo round Him seemed to play.
Had sought the mountain-top to pray,
A halo round Him seemed to play.
| Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs | |