Thy sweet child Sleep, the filmy-eyed, Murmured like a noontide bee, _25 Shall I nestle near thy side?
Wouldst thou me?--And I replied, No, not thee!
5.
Death will come when thou art dead, Soon, too soon-- _30 Sleep will come when thou art fled; Of neither would I ask the boon I ask of thee, beloved Night-- Swift be thine approaching flight, Come soon, soon! _35
NOTE: _1 o"er Harvard ma.n.u.script; over editions 1824, 1839.
TIME.
[Published by Mrs. Sh.e.l.ley, "Posthumous Poems", 1824.]
Unfathomable Sea! whose waves are years, Ocean of Time, whose waters of deep woe Are brackish with the salt of human tears!
Thou sh.o.r.eless flood, which in thy ebb and flow Claspest the limits of mortality, _5 And sick of prey, yet howling on for more, Vomitest thy wrecks on its inhospitable sh.o.r.e; Treacherous in calm, and terrible in storm, Who shall put forth on thee, Unfathomable Sea? _10
LINES.
[Published by Mrs. Sh.e.l.ley, "Posthumous Poems", 1824.]
1.
Far, far away, O ye Halcyons of Memory, Seek some far calmer nest Than this abandoned breast!
No news of your false spring _5 To my heart"s winter bring, Once having gone, in vain Ye come again.
2.
Vultures, who build your bowers High in the Future"s towers, _10 Withered hopes on hopes are spread!
Dying joys, choked by the dead, Will serve your beaks for prey Many a day.
FROM THE ARABIC: AN IMITATION.
[Published by Mrs. Sh.e.l.ley, "Posthumous Poems", 1824. There is an intermediate draft amongst the Bodleian ma.n.u.scripts. See Loc.o.c.k, "Examination", etc., 1903, page 13.]
1.
My faint spirit was sitting in the light Of thy looks, my love; It panted for thee like the hind at noon For the brooks, my love.
Thy barb whose hoofs outspeed the tempest"s flight _5 Bore thee far from me; My heart, for my weak feet were weary soon, Did companion thee.
2.
Ah! fleeter far than fleetest storm or steed Or the death they bear, _10 The heart which tender thought clothes like a dove With the wings of care; In the battle, in the darkness, in the need, Shall mine cling to thee, Nor claim one smile for all the comfort, love, _15 It may bring to thee.
NOTES: _3 hoofs]feet B.
_7 were]grew B.
_9 Ah!]O B.
TO EMILIA VIVIANI.
[Published, (1) by Mrs. Sh.e.l.ley, "Posthumous Poems", 1824; (2, 1) by Dr. Garnett, "Relics of Sh.e.l.ley", 1862; (2, 2 and 3) by H. Buxton Forman, "Poetical Works of P. B. S.", 1876.]
1.
Madonna, wherefore hast thou sent to me Sweet-basil and mignonette?
Embleming love and health, which never yet In the same wreath might be.
Alas, and they are wet! _5 Is it with thy kisses or thy tears?
For never rain or dew Such fragrance drew From plant or flower--the very doubt endears My sadness ever new, _10 The sighs I breathe, the tears I shed for thee.
2.
Send the stars light, but send not love to me, In whom love ever made Health like a heap of embers soon to fade--
THE FUGITIVES.
[Published by Mrs. Sh.e.l.ley, "Posthumous Poems". 1824.]
1.
The waters are flashing, The white hail is dashing, The lightnings are glancing, The h.o.a.r-spray is dancing-- Away! _5
The whirlwind is rolling, The thunder is tolling, The forest is swinging, The minster bells ringing-- Come away! _10
The Earth is like Ocean, Wreck-strewn and in motion: Bird, beast, man and worm Have crept out of the storm-- Come away! _15
2.
"Our boat has one sail And the helmsman is pale;-- A bold pilot I trow, Who should follow us now,"-- Shouted he-- _20
And she cried: "Ply the oar!
Put off gaily from sh.o.r.e!"-- As she spoke, bolts of death Mixed with hail, specked their path O"er the sea. _25
And from isle, tower and rock, The blue beacon-cloud broke, And though dumb in the blast, The red cannon flashed fast From the lee. _30
3.
And "Fear"st thou?" and "Fear"st thou?"
And Seest thou?" and "Hear"st thou?"
And "Drive we not free O"er the terrible sea, I and thou?" _35
One boat-cloak did cover The loved and the lover-- Their blood beats one measure, They murmur proud pleasure Soft and low;-- _40
While around the lashed Ocean, Like mountains in motion, Is withdrawn and uplifted, Sunk, shattered and shifted To and fro. _45
4.
In the court of the fortress Beside the pale portress, Like a bloodhound well beaten The bridegroom stands, eaten By shame; _50