Poem: The Garden Of Eros

It is full summer now, the heart of June;

Not yet the sunburnt reapers are astir

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Upon the upland meadow where too soon

Rich autumn time, the season's usurer,

Will lend his hoarded gold to all the trees,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And see his treasure scattered by the wild and spendthrift breeze.

Too soon indeed! yet here the daffodil,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址That love-child of the Spring, has lingered on

To vex the rose with jealousy, and still

The harebell spreads her azure pavilion,

And like a strayed and wandering reveller

Abandoned of its brothers, whom long since June's messenger

上海龙凤shlf最新地址The missel-thrush has frighted from the glade,

One pale narcissus loiters fearfully

Close to a shadowy nook, where half afraid

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Of their own loveliness some violets lie

That will not look the gold sun in the face

For fear of too much splendour, - ah! methinks it is a place

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Which should be trodden by Persephone

When wearied of the flowerless fields of Dis!

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Or danced on by the lads of Arcady!

The hidden secret of eternal bliss

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Known to the Grecian here a man might find,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Ah! you and I may find it now if Love and Sleep be kind.

There are the flowers which mourning Herakles

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Strewed on the tomb of Hylas, columbine,

Its white doves all a-flutter where the breeze

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Kissed them too harshly, the small celandine,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址That yellow-kirtled chorister of eve,

And lilac lady's-smock, - but let them bloom alone, and leave

Yon spired hollyhock red-crocketed

上海龙凤shlf最新地址To sway its silent chimes, else must the bee,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Its little bellringer, go seek instead

Some other pleasaunce; the anemone

That weeps at daybreak, like a silly girl

Before her love, and hardly lets the butterflies unfurl

Their painted wings beside it, - bid it pine

In pale virginity; the winter snow

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Will suit it better than those lips of thine

Whose fires would but scorch it, rather go

And pluck that amorous flower which blooms alone,

Fed by the pander wind with dust of kisses not its own.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址The trumpet-mouths of red convolvulus

上海龙凤shlf最新地址So dear to maidens, creamy meadow-sweet

Whiter than Juno's throat and odorous

上海龙凤shlf最新地址As all Arabia, hyacinths the feet

Of Huntress Dian would be loth to mar

For any dappled fawn, - pluck these, and those fond flowers which

are

Fairer than what Queen Venus trod upon

Beneath the pines of Ida, eucharis,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址That morning star which does not dread the sun,

And budding marjoram which but to kiss

Would sweeten Cytheraea's lips and make

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Adonis jealous, - these for thy head, - and for thy girdle take

Yon curving spray of purple clematis

Whose gorgeous dye outflames the Tyrian King,

And foxgloves with their nodding chalices,

But that one narciss which the startled Spring

Let from her kirtle fall when first she heard

In her own woods the wild tempestuous song of summer's bird,

Ah! leave it for a subtle memory

Of those sweet tremulous days of rain and sun,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址When April laughed between her tears to see

上海龙凤shlf最新地址The early primrose with shy footsteps run

From the gnarled oak-tree roots till all the wold,

Spite of its brown and trampled leaves, grew bright with shimmering

gold.

Nay, pluck it too, it is not half so sweet

上海龙凤shlf最新地址As thou thyself, my soul's idolatry!

And when thou art a-wearied at thy feet

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Shall oxlips weave their brightest tapestry,

For thee the woodbine shall forget its pride

And veil its tangled whorls, and thou shalt walk on daisies pied.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And I will cut a reed by yonder spring

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And make the wood-gods jealous, and old Pan

Wonder what young intruder dares to sing

上海龙凤shlf最新地址In these still haunts, where never foot of man

Should tread at evening, lest he chance to spy

上海龙凤shlf最新地址The marble limbs of Artemis and all her company.

And I will tell thee why the jacinth wears

Such dread embroidery of dolorous moan,

And why the hapless nightingale forbears

To sing her song at noon, but weeps alone

When the fleet swallow sleeps, and rich men feast,

And why the laurel trembles when she sees the lightening east.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And I will sing how sad Proserpina

Unto a grave and gloomy Lord was wed,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And lure the silver-breasted Helena

Back from the lotus meadows of the dead,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址So shalt thou see that awful loveliness

For which two mighty Hosts met fearfully in war's abyss!

And then I'll pipe to thee that Grecian tale

How Cynthia loves the lad Endymion,

And hidden in a grey and misty veil

Hies to the cliffs of Latmos once the Sun

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Leaps from his ocean bed in fruitless chase

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Of those pale flying feet which fade away in his embrace.

And if my flute can breathe sweet melody,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址We may behold Her face who long ago

Dwelt among men by the AEgean sea,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And whose sad house with pillaged portico

And friezeless wall and columns toppled down

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Looms o'er the ruins of that fair and violet cinctured town.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Spirit of Beauty! tarry still awhile,

They are not dead, thine ancient votaries;

Some few there are to whom thy radiant smile

Is better than a thousand victories,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Though all the nobly slain of Waterloo

Rise up in wrath against them! tarry still, there are a few

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Who for thy sake would give their manlihood

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And consecrate their being; I at least

Have done so, made thy lips my daily food,

And in thy temples found a goodlier feast

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Than this starved age can give me, spite of all

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Its new-found creeds so sceptical and so dogmatical.

Here not Cephissos, not Ilissos flows,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址The woods of white Colonos are not here,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址On our bleak hills the olive never blows,

No simple priest conducts his lowing steer

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Up the steep marble way, nor through the town

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Do laughing maidens bear to thee the crocus-flowered gown.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Yet tarry! for the boy who loved thee best,

Whose very name should be a memory

上海龙凤shlf最新地址To make thee linger, sleeps in silent rest

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Beneath the Roman walls, and melody

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Still mourns her sweetest lyre; none can play

上海龙凤shlf最新地址The lute of Adonais:  with his lips Song passed away.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Nay, when Keats died the Muses still had left

One silver voice to sing his threnody,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址But ah! too soon of it we were bereft

When on that riven night and stormy sea

Panthea claimed her singer as her own,

And slew the mouth that praised her; since which time we walk

alone,

Save for that fiery heart, that morning star

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Of re-arisen England, whose clear eye

Saw from our tottering throne and waste of war

The grand Greek limbs of young Democracy

Rise mightily like Hesperus and bring

The great Republic! him at least thy love hath taught to sing,

And he hath been with thee at Thessaly,

And seen white Atalanta fleet of foot

上海龙凤shlf最新地址In passionless and fierce virginity

Hunting the tusked boar, his honied lute

Hath pierced the cavern of the hollow hill,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And Venus laughs to know one knee will bow before her still.

And he hath kissed the lips of Proserpine,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And sung the Galilaean's requiem,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址That wounded forehead dashed with blood and wine

上海龙凤shlf最新地址He hath discrowned, the Ancient Gods in him

Have found their last, most ardent worshipper,

And the new Sign grows grey and dim before its conqueror.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Spirit of Beauty! tarry with us still,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址It is not quenched the torch of poesy,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址The star that shook above the Eastern hill

Holds unassailed its argent armoury

上海龙凤shlf最新地址From all the gathering gloom and fretful fight -

上海龙凤shlf最新地址O tarry with us still! for through the long and common night,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Morris, our sweet and simple Chaucer's child,

Dear heritor of Spenser's tuneful reed,

With soft and sylvan pipe has oft beguiled

The weary soul of man in troublous need,

And from the far and flowerless fields of ice

Has brought fair flowers to make an earthly paradise.

We know them all, Gudrun the strong men's bride,

Aslaug and Olafson we know them all,

How giant Grettir fought and Sigurd died,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And what enchantment held the king in thrall

上海龙凤shlf最新地址When lonely Brynhild wrestled with the powers

上海龙凤shlf最新地址That war against all passion, ah! how oft through summer hours,

Long listless summer hours when the noon

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Being enamoured of a damask rose

Forgets to journey westward, till the moon

The pale usurper of its tribute grows

From a thin sickle to a silver shield

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And chides its loitering car - how oft, in some cool grassy field

Far from the cricket-ground and noisy eight,

At Bagley, where the rustling bluebells come

Almost before the blackbird finds a mate

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And overstay the swallow, and the hum

Of many murmuring bees flits through the leaves,

Have I lain poring on the dreamy tales his fancy weaves,

And through their unreal woes and mimic pain

Wept for myself, and so was purified,

And in their simple mirth grew glad again;

上海龙凤shlf最新地址For as I sailed upon that pictured tide

The strength and splendour of the storm was mine

Without the storm's red ruin, for the singer is divine;

The little laugh of water falling down

Is not so musical, the clammy gold

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Close hoarded in the tiny waxen town

Has less of sweetness in it, and the old

Half-withered reeds that waved in Arcady

Touched by his lips break forth again to fresher harmony.

Spirit of Beauty, tarry yet awhile!

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Although the cheating merchants of the mart

上海龙凤shlf最新地址With iron roads profane our lovely isle,

And break on whirling wheels the limbs of Art,

Ay! though the crowded factories beget

上海龙凤shlf最新地址The blindworm Ignorance that slays the soul, O tarry yet!

For One at least there is, - He bears his name

上海龙凤shlf最新地址From Dante and the seraph Gabriel, -

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Whose double laurels burn with deathless flame

上海龙凤shlf最新地址To light thine altar; He too loves thee well,

Who saw old Merlin lured in Vivien's snare,

And the white feet of angels coming down the golden stair,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Loves thee so well, that all the World for him

A gorgeous-coloured vestiture must wear,

And Sorrow take a purple diadem,

Or else be no more Sorrow, and Despair

Gild its own thorns, and Pain, like Adon, be

Even in anguish beautiful; - such is the empery

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Which Painters hold, and such the heritage

上海龙凤shlf最新地址This gentle solemn Spirit doth possess,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Being a better mirror of his age

上海龙凤shlf最新地址In all his pity, love, and weariness,

Than those who can but copy common things,

And leave the Soul unpainted with its mighty questionings.

上海龙凤shlf最新地址But they are few, and all romance has flown,

And men can prophesy about the sun,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And lecture on his arrows - how, alone,

Through a waste void the soulless atoms run,

How from each tree its weeping nymph has fled,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址And that no more 'mid English reeds a Naiad shows her head.

Methinks these new Actaeons boast too soon

That they have spied on beauty; what if we

Have analysed the rainbow, robbed the moon

Of her most ancient, chastest mystery,

Shall I, the last Endymion, lose all hope

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Because rude eyes peer at my mistress through a telescope!

What profit if this scientific age

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Burst through our gates with all its retinue

Of modern miracles!  Can it assuage

One lover's breaking heart? what can it do

To make one life more beautiful, one day

More godlike in its period? but now the Age of Clay

Returns in horrid cycle, and the earth

Hath borne again a noisy progeny

Of ignorant Titans, whose ungodly birth

Hurls them against the august hierarchy

Which sat upon Olympus; to the Dust

They have appealed, and to that barren arbiter they must

Repair for judgment; let them, if they can,

From Natural Warfare and insensate Chance,

Create the new Ideal rule for man!

Methinks that was not my inheritance;

For I was nurtured otherwise, my soul

Passes from higher heights of life to a more supreme goal.

Lo! while we spake the earth did turn away

Her visage from the God, and Hecate's boat

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Rose silver-laden, till the jealous day

Blew all its torches out:  I did not note

The waning hours, to young Endymions

Time's palsied fingers count in vain his rosary of suns!

Mark how the yellow iris wearily

Leans back its throat, as though it would be kissed

上海龙凤shlf最新地址By its false chamberer, the dragon-fly,

Who, like a blue vein on a girl's white wrist,

Sleeps on that snowy primrose of the night,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Which 'gins to flush with crimson shame, and die beneath the light.

Come let us go, against the pallid shield

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Of the wan sky the almond blossoms gleam,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址The corncrake nested in the unmown field

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Answers its mate, across the misty stream

On fitful wing the startled curlews fly,

And in his sedgy bed the lark, for joy that Day is nigh,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Scatters the pearled dew from off the grass,

In tremulous ecstasy to greet the sun,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Who soon in gilded panoply will pass

Forth from yon orange-curtained pavilion

Hung in the burning east:  see, the red rim

O'ertops the expectant hills! it is the God! for love of him

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Already the shrill lark is out of sight,

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Flooding with waves of song this silent dell, -

Ah! there is something more in that bird's flight

上海龙凤shlf最新地址Than could be tested in a crucible! -

But the air freshens, let us go, why soon

The woodmen will be here; how we have lived this night of June!