第6章

Nowfromthemeadowfloodsthewildduckclamours，Nowthewoodpigeonwingsarapidflight，Nowthehomewardrookeryfollowsupitsvanguard，Andthevalleymistsarecurlingupthehills。

Threeshortsongsgestheclear-voicedthrostle，Sweeteningthetwilighterehefillsthenest；

WhilethelittlebirdupontheleaflessbranchesTweetstoitsmateatinylongnote。

Deeperthestillnesshangsoneverymotion；

Calmerthesilencefollowseverycall；

Nowallisquietsavetheroostingpheasant，Thebell-wether’stinkleandthewatch-dog’sbark。

Softlyshinethelightsfromthesilentkindlinghomestead，Starsofthehearthtotheshepherdinthefold；

Springsofdesiretothetravellerontheroadway；

Everbreathingincensetotheever-blessingsky!

Howbarrenwouldthisvalleybe，WithoutthegoldenorbthatgazesOnit，broadeningtohuesOfrose，andspreadingwingsofamber；

Blessingitbeforeitfallsasleep。

Howbarrenwouldthisvalleybe，WithoutthehumanlesnowbeatingInit，orthethrobbingheartsFardistant，whotheirflowerofchildhoodCherishhere，andwateritwithtears!

HowbarrenshouldIbe，wereI

Withoutabovethatlongsplendour，Sheddinglightandwarmth!withoutSomekindrednaturesofmykindTojoyinme，oryearntowardsmenow!

Summerglowswarmonthemeadows，andspeedwell，andgold-cups，anddaisiesDarken’middeepeningmassesofsorrel，andshadowygrassesShowtheripehuetothefarmer，andsummonthescytheandthehay-

makersDownfromthellage；andnow，evennow，theairsmellsofthemowing，Andthesharpsongofthescythewhistlesdaily；fromdawn，tillthegloamingWearsitscoolstar，sweetandwelcometoallflamingfacesafieldnow；

Healyweighsthehotseason，anddrowsesthedarkeningfoliage，Droopingwithlanguor；thewhitecloudfloats，butsailsnot，forwindlessHeaven’sbluetentsit；nolarksingingupinitsfleecywhitevalleys；

Upinitsfairywhitevalleys，oncefeatheredwithminstrels，melodiousWiththeinsiblejoythatwakesdawno’erthegreenfieldsofEngland。

Summerglowswarmonthemeadows；thencome，letusroamthro’themgaily，Heedlessofheat，andthehot-kissingsun，andthefearofdarkfreckles。

Neveronekisswillhegeonaneck，oralily-whiteforehead，Chin，hand，orbosomuncovered，allpanting，totakethechancecoolness，Butfullsurethefierypressureleavessealofespousal。

Heedhimnot；come，tho’hekisstillthesoftlittleupper-liplosesHalfitspurewhiteness；justspeck’dwherethecurveoftherosymouthreddens。

Come，lethimkiss，lethimkiss，andhiskissesshallmaketheethesweeter。

Thouartnonun，veiledandvowed；doomedtonourishawitheringpallor!

Cityexoticsbesidetheewouldshowlikebleachedlinenatmid-day，Hunguponhedgesofeglantine!Thouinthefreedomofnature，Fullofherbeautyandwisdom，gentleness，joyance，andkindness!

Come，andlikebeeswillwegathertherichgoldenhoneyofnoontide；

Deepinthesweetsummermeadows，border’dbyhillsideandrer，Linedwithlongtrencheshalf-hidden，wheresmellofwhitemeadow-

sweet，sweetest，Blissfullyhovers——Osweetest!butpluckitnot!eveninthetenderestGraspitwilllosebreathandwither；likemany，notmadeforaposy。

See，thesunslopesdownthemeadows，wherealltheflowersarefalling!

Fallingunhymned；forthenightingalescarceevercharmsthelongtwilight：

Mutewiththecaresofthenest；onlyknownbya’chuck，chuck，’anddovelikeCallofcontent，butthefinchandthelinnetandblackcappipeloudly。

Roundonthewesternhill-sidewarblestherich-billedouzel；

Andtheshrillthrostleisfillingthetangledthickeningcopses；

Singingo’erhyacinthshid，andmosthoney’dofflowers，whitefield-rose。

Joythustorevelalldayinthegrassofourownbelovedcountry；

Revelallday，tillthelarkmountsatevewithhissweet’tirra-

lirra’：

Trillingdelightfully。See，ontherertheslow-rippledsurfaceShining；theslowripplebroadensincircles；thebrightsurfacesmoothens；

Nowitisflatastheleavesoftheyetunseenwater-lily。

Theredartthelesofaday，ever-varyingtacticsfantastic。

There，bythewet-mirroredosiers，theemeraldwingofthekingfisherFlashes，thefishinhisbeak!therethedab-chickded，andthemotionLazilyundulatesallthro’thetallstandingarmyofrushes。

Joythustorevelallday，tillthetwilightturnsushomeward!

Tillallthelingeringdeep-bloomingsplendourofsunsetisover，Andtheonestarshinesmildlyinmellowinghues，likeaspiritSenttoassureusthatlightneverdieth，tho’dayisnowburied。

Saying：to-morrow，to-morrow，fewhoursintervening，thatintervalTunedbythewoodlarkinheaven，to-morrowmysemblance，fareastward，Heraldstheday’tismymissioneternaltosealandtoprophecy。

Comethen，andhomeward；passingdowntheclosepathofthemeadows。

Homelikethebeesstoredwithsweetness；eachwithalarkinthebosom，Trillingforever，andoh!willyonlarkeverceasetosingupthere？

Oskylark!Iseetheeandcalltheejoy!

Thywingsbeartheeuptothebreastofthedawn；

Iseetheenomore，butthysongisstillThetongueoftheheavenstome!

ThusarethedayswhenIwasaboy；

SweetwhileIledinthem，dearnowthey’regone：

Ifeelthemnolonger，butstill，OstillTheytelloftheheavenstome。

WhenbudsofpalmdoburstandspreadTheirdownyfeathersinthelane，Andorchardblossoms，whiteandred，BreatheSpringdelightforAutumngain；

Andtheskylarkshakeshiswingsintherain；

Othenistheseasontolookforabride!

Chooseherwarily，wooherunseen；

ForthechoicestmaidsarethosethathideLikedewyoletsunderthegreen。

Whennutsbehindthehazel-leafArebrownasthesquirrelthathuntsthemfree，Andthefieldsarerichwiththesun-burntsheaf，’Midthebluecornflowerandtheyellowingtree；

Andthefarmerglowsandbeamsinhisglee；

Othenistheseasontowedtheeabride!

Erethegarnersarefilledandtheale-cupsfoam；

ForasmilinghostessistheprideAndflowerofeveryHarvestHome。

Burythysorrows，andtheyshallriseAssoulstotheimmortalskies，Andtherelookdownlikemothers’eyes。

Butletthyjoysbefreshasflowers，Thatsuckthehoneyoftheshowers，Andbloomalikeonhutsandtowers。

Soshallthydaysbesweetandbright；

Solemnandsweetthystarrynight，Consciousofloveeachchangeoflight。

Thestarswillwatchtheflowersasleep，Theflowerswillfeelthesoftstarsweep，Andbothwillmsensationsdeep。

Withthesebelow，withthoseabove，Sitsevermorethebroodingdove，Unitingbothinbondsoflove。

Forbothbynatureareakin；

Sorrow，theashenfruitofsin，Andjoy，thejuiceoflifewithin。

Childrenofeartharethese；andthoseThespiritsofdinerepose-

Deathradianto’erallhumanwoes。

O，thinkwhatthenhadbeenthydoom，IfhomelessandwithoutatombTheyhadbeenlefttohauntthegloom!

O，thinkagainwhatnowtheyare-

Motherlylove，tho’dimandfar，Imagedineverylustrousstar。

Forthey，intheirsalvation，knowNovestigeoftheirformerwoe，Whilethro’themalltheheavensdoflow。

Thusartthouweddedtotheskies，Andwatchedbyever-longeyes，Andwarnedbyyearningsympathies。

SONG

Theflowerunfoldsitsdawningcup，Andtheyoungsundrinksthestar-dewsup，Ateveitdroopswiththeblissofday，Anddreamsinthemidnightfaraway。

SoamIinthysole，sweetglancePressedwithaweightofutterance；

Longlyallmyleavesunfold，Andgleamtothebeamsofthirstygold。

AteveIdroop，forthentheswellOffeelingfaltersforthfarewell；-

AtmidnightIamdreamingdeep，Ofwhathasbeen，inblissfulsleep。

When——ah!whenwilllove’sownfightWedmealikethro’dayandnight，WhenwillthestarswiththeirlinkingcharmsWakeusineachother’sarms？

ThoutomeartsuchaspringAstheArabseeksateve，Thirstyfromtheshiningsands；

Theretobathehisfaceandhands，Whilethesunistakingleave，Anddewysleepisadeliciousthing。

ThoutomeartsuchadreamAshedreamsuponthegrass，WhilethebubblingcoolnessnearMakessweetmusicinhisear；

AndthestarsthatslowlypassInsolitarygrandeuro’erhimgleam。

ThoutomeartsuchadawnAsthedawnwhoseruddykissWakeshimtohisdarlingsteed；

Andagainthedesertspeed，Andagainthedesertbliss，Lightensthro’hisveins，andheisgone!

TheburiedvoicebespakeAntigone。

’Osister!couldstthouknow，asthouwiltknow，Theblissabove，thereverencebelow，Enkindledbythysacrificeforme；

ThouwouldstatoncewithholyecstasyGethywarmlimbsintotheyearningearth。

Sleep，Sister!forElysium’sdawningbirth，-

Andfaithwillfilltheewithwhatistobe!

Sleep，fortheGodsarewatchingoverthee!

Thydreamwillsteertheetoperformtheirwill，Assilentlytheirinfluencetheyinstil。

OSister!inthesweetnessofthyprime，Thyhandhaspluckedthebitterflowerofdeath；

ButthiswilldowertheewithElysianbreath，Thatfadeintoanever-fadingclime。

DeartotheGodsarethosethatdoliketheeAsolemnduty!forthetyrannyOfkingsisfeebletothesoulthatdaresDefythemtofulfilitssacredcares：

Andweakagainstamightywillaremen。

O，Torchbetweentwobrothers!inwhosegleamOurslaughteredHousedothshineasoneagain，Tho’severedbythesword；nowmaythydreamKindledesireintheeforus，andthou，Forgettingnotthyloverandhisvow，Leangnohumanmemoryforgot，Shaltcross，notunattended，thedarkstreamWhichrunsbytheeinsleepandripplesnot。

Thelargestarsglitterthro’theanousnight，Andthedeepskybroodslowtolookatthee：

Theairishush’danddarko’erlandandsea，Andalliswaitingforthemorrowlight：

Sodothykindredspiritswaitforthee。

OSister!softasonthedownwardrill，WillthosefirstdaybeamsfromthedistanthillFallonthesmoothnessofthyplacidbrow，Likethiscalmsweetnessbreathingthro’menow：

Andwhenthefatedsoundsshallwakethineeyes，Wiltthou，confidinginthesupremewill，Inallthymaidensteadfastnessarise，Firmtoobeyandearnesttofulfil；

Rememberingthenightthoudidstnotsleep，Andthissamebroodingskybeheldtheecreep，Defiantofunnaturaldecree，TowhereIlayupontheoutcastland；

Beforetheirongatesupontheplain；

Awretched，gravelessghost，whosewailingchillCametothydarkeneddoorimploringthee；

Yearningforburiallikemybrotherslain；-

Andallwasdaredforloveandpiety!

ThisthoughtwillnerveagainthyrginhandToserveitspurposeanditsdestiny。’

Shewoke，theyledherforth，andallwasstill。

Swathedroundinmistandcrown’dwithcloud，OMountain!hidfrompeaktobase-

CaughtupintotheheavensandclaspedInwhiteetherealarmsthatmakeThymysteryofsizesublime!

WhateyeorthoughtcanmeasurenowThygranddilatingloftiness!

WhatgiantcrestdisputewiththeeSupremacyofairandsky!

Whatfabledheightwiththeecompare!

Notthosene-terracedhillsthatseetheThelavaintheirfierycusps；

Northathigh-climbingrobeofsnow，Whosesummitstouchthemorningstar，Andbreathethethinnestairoflife；

Norcrocus-couchingIda，warmWithJuno’slatestnuptiallure；

NorTenedoswhosedreamyeyeStilllooksuponbeleagueredTroy；

NoryetOlympuscrown’dwithgodsCanboastamajestylikethine，OMountain!hidfrompeaktobase，AndimageoftheawfulpowerWithwhichthesecretofallthings，Thatstoopsfromheaventogarmentearth，Canspeaktoanyhumansoul，WhenoncetheearthlylimitsloseTheirpointedheightsandsharpenedlines，AndmeasurelessimmensityIspalpabletosenseandsight。

No，no，thefallingblossomisnosignOflovelinessdestroy’dandsorrowmute；

Theblossomshedsitslovelinessdine；-

Itsmissionistoprophecythefruit。

Noristhedayofloveforeverdead，Whenyoungenchantmentandromancearegone；

Theveilisdrawn，butallthefuturedreadIslightenedbythefingerofthedawn。

Lovemoveswithlifealongadarkerway，Theycastashadowandtheycallitdeath：

Butrichisthefulfilmentoftheirday；

Thepurerpassionandthefirmerfaith。