For all his life the charm did talk About his path, and hover near With words of promise in his walk, And whispered voices in his ear. More close and close his footsteps wind; His spirit flutters like a lark, He stoops - to kiss her on his knee. "Love, if thy tresses be so dark, How dark those hidden eyes must be ! " THE REVIVAL. A touch, a kiss! the charm was snapt. There rose a noise of striking clocks, And feet that ran, and doors that clapt, And barking dogs, and crowing cocks; A fuller light illumined all, A breeze through all the garden swept, A sudden hubbub shook the hall, The hedge broke in, the banner blew, The parrot screamed, the peacock squalled, The maid and page renewed their strife, The palace banged, and buzzed and clackt, And all the long-pent stream of life Dashed downward in a cataract. And last of all the king awoke, And in his chair himself upreared, And yawned, and rubbed his face, and spoke, 66 By holy rood, a royal beard! How say you? we have slept, my lords. My beard has grown into my lap." The barons swore, with many words, 'Twas but an after-dinner's nap. "Pardy," returned the king, "but still My lord, and shall we pass the bill In courteous words returned reply: THE DEPARTURE. And on her lover's arm she leant, In that new world which is the old: The happy princess followed him. "I'd sleep another hundred years, O love, for such another kiss ; "O wake forever, love," she hears, "O love, 't was such as this and this." And o'er them many a sliding star, And many a merry wind was borne, And, streamed through many a golden bar, The twilight melted into morn. "O happy sleep, that lightly fled!" "O happy kiss, that woke thy sleep!" And o'er them many a flowing range "A hundred summers! can it be? And whither goest thou, tell me where ! "O seek my father's court with me, For there are greater wonders there." And o'er the hills, and far away Beyond their utmost purple rim, Beyond the night, across the day, Through all the world she followed him. MORAL. So, Lady Flora, take my lay, O, to what uses shall we put The wildweed-flower that simply blows? And is there any moral shut THE DEPARTURE. And on her lover's arm she leant, In that new world which is the old : The happy princess followed him. "I'd sleep another hundred years, O love, for such another kiss ; " "O wake forever, love," she hears, "O love, 't was such as this and this." And o'er them many a sliding star, And many a merry wind was borne, And, streamed through many a golden bar, The twilight melted into morn. "O eyes long laid in happy sleep! |