University of Virginia Library

Scene IV.

—The Harvest-plains outside the Paradise of Cœlis. Night.
Cœlis, alone.
CŒLIS.
The moon is at the full and overflows;
The wheat is gathered into sheaves,
And heaven its quiet brilliance throws
On reapers who from toil repose
On the warm ground with flocks and beeves.
They, tired of grazing; tired of reaping;
O'er all the harvest-moon is sleeping;
All in illumined slumber bask and I
Alone keep the Eternal company.
The reapers lie full length, their hooks at hand;
The shepherds, at their midnight ease,
Their heads have pillowed on their knees:
Time moves not, sharing in their peace
And loitering on the yellow land.
A spell is upon all, the vultures sleep
Above in rocky nests, the wolves are charmed,
None fear the others, none the vigil keep,
But undefended here they sleep unharmed.
O friendly tomb! whence with re-opening eyes
These dreamy dead shall on the morrow rise!