Whenas the watches of the night had grown
To that deep loneliness where dreams begin,
I saw how Love, with visage worn and thin,—
With wings close-bound, went through a town alone.
Death-pale he showed, and inly seemed to moan
With sore desire some dolorous place to win;
Sharp brambles passed had streaked his dazzling skin,—
His bright feet eke were gashed with many a stone.
And, as he went, I, sad for piteousness,
Might see how men from door and gate would move
To stay his steps; or womankind would press,

I built me a house, with a mountain above,
A stream and a willow, a bird and a love.

The mountain was high. The stream it was fleet.
The willow was gentle. The bird-song was sweet.

The love she was dark-eyed, and snowy her breast.
And she was my joy, and my dusk, and my rest.

Where did you borrow that last sigh,
—And that relenting groan?
For those that sigh, and not for love,
—Usurp what 's not their own.
Love's arrows sooner armour pierce
—Than your soft snowy skin;
Your eyes can only teach us love,
—But cannot take it in.

Where did you borrow that last sigh,
—And that relenting groan?
For those that sigh, and not for love,
—Usurp what 's not their own.
Love's arrows sooner armour pierce
—Than your soft snowy skin;
Your eyes can only teach us love,
—But cannot take it in.

Who dares to say I am untrue to Spain
Loving this barren land, loving this plain
Scarlet as blood or white as sun-bleached bones,
Loving these flat-roofed mountains and these stones
Round with spring waters where now the bed gapes dry,
Loving these rainbowed storms, this turquoise sky,
Yes, even these Indians in their high mud towns
For all their sacred meal and feathered crowns?
Some of you seek for souls and some for gold
And some for lands that you may seize and hold,
But all is mine on which I set my eyes,

When my little love at purple dusk,
Trips out upon the lawn among the flowers,
The blushing roses quiver in their musk,
Love-smitten through: the feathery, fragrant showers
Of snow-white blossoms drift upon the grass,
Kissing her whispering footsteps as they pass.

When my little love at evening's hush,
Goes dancing down the dell with laugh and song,
The slumbering echoes waken, and a gush
Of silvery voices greet her, and along
The dewy clusters of the trailing vines
In music mingles, murmurs, and repines.

How little seem the joys and fears
We shun or chase!
How foolish seem our fevered years
Of smiles and tears,
Beside the music of the spheres
And the high harmonies of Space!

Natheless the spinning dædal world,
Floats in the current of our veins;
Within our souls the stars are whirled;
We breed the planets in our brains.
From us all Being has its birth,
Of all things is our being spun;
In us are Heaven, and Hell, and Earth,
And every star, and every sun.

When hair of gold
Turns hair of grey;
When joys grow cold

“A ND men shall kill that which they love!'
Alas! that I should prove
This sorry truth!
I, in whose eager youth,
Myself did dedicate
To true love's high estate,—
That I should bring such dread and dire fate
Upon that, which to me
Stood with the Deity!

Yours was a spirit that had never quailed,
No matter how assailed,
Yours was a heart
That would have borne the dart
Of each indignity
That had not come from me,
Nor bowed a vanquished head.
But now I see
That spirit faint and dead,
Because I failed

Upon the unmown grass at noon
I lay as in a dreamy swoon,
All in a lovely rhapsody,
And seeing pictures in the sky.
The little clouds above me spread
Put out white fingers overhead,
And hand in hand a space would run
Before they melted into one.
The Honeysuckle told the breeze
The very sweetest thing she knew,
And this he whispered to the trees,
Then to my side the wanton flew,
With sportive waft stole gently by,
And turned the clover heads awry.

It was the latter August time;
The year was in her fervid prime:

Count the sighs, and count the teares,
Which have in part my budding yeares:
Comment on my wofull looke,
Which is now blacke sorrows booke.
Read how love is overcome,
Weepe and sigh, and then be dumbe.
Say it was your charity
To helpe him whose eyes are dry.
Here paint my Cleora's name,
Then a heart, and then a flame,
Then marke how the heart doth fry
When Cleora is so nigh.
Though the flame did do its part,
'Twas the name that broke the heart.
Peace, no more, no more you need
My sad history to read.
Fold the paper up agen,

Father of our feeble race!—
Wise, beneficent, and kind,—
Spread o'er nature's ample face,
Flows thy goodness unconfin'd;
Musing in the silent grove,
Or the busy haunts of men,
Still we trace thy wond'rous love,
Claiming large returns again.

Lord! what off'ring shall we bring,
At thine altars when we bow?
Hearts, the pure, unsullied spring
Whence the kind affections flow;
Soft compassion's feeling soul,
By the melting eye express'd;
Sympathy, at whose control,
Sorrow leaves the wounded breast;