4
IAMBICS
No cold shall thee benumb, Nor darkness stain thy sight; To thee new Heat, new Light Shall from this object come, Whose Praises if thou now wilt sound aright, My Pen shall give thee leave hereafter to be dumb.
1801. Now first published from an MS.
5
NONSENSE
Sing impa.s.sionate Soul! of Mohammed the complicate story: Sing, unfearful of Man, groaning and ending in care.
Short the Command and the Toil, but endlessly mighty the Glory!
Standing aloof if it chance, vainly our enemy"s scare: What tho" we wretchedly fare, wearily drawing the Breath--, Malice in wonder may stare; merrily move we to Death.
Now first published from an MS.
6
A PLAINTIVE MOVEMENT
[11" 4" 11" 4" | 10" 6" 4" 10"]
Go little Pipe! for ever I must leave thee, Ah, vainly true!
Never, ah never! must I more receive thee?
Adieu! adieu!
Well, thou art gone! and what remains behind, Soothing the soul to Hope?
The moaning Wind-- Hide with sere leaves my Grave"s undaisied Slope.
(?) October. 1814.
[It would be better to alter this metre--
10" 6" 6" 10" | 11" 4" 11" 4": and still more plaintive if the 1st and 4th were 11" 11" as well as the 5th and 7th.]
Now first published from an MS.
7
AN EXPERIMENT FOR A METRE
When thy Beauty appears, In its graces and airs, All bright as an Angel new dight from the Sky, At distance I gaze, and am awed by my fears, So strangely you dazzle my Eye.
Now first published from an MS.
8
NONSENSE VERSES
[AN EXPERIMENT FOR A METRE]
Ye fowls of ill presage, Go vanish into Night!
Let all things sweet and fair Yield homage to the pair: From Infancy to Age Each Brow be smooth and bright, As Lake in evening light.
To-day be Joy! and Sorrow Devoid of Blame (The widow"d Dame) Shall welcome be to-morrow.
Thou, too, dull Night! may"st come unchid: This wall of Flame the Dark hath hid With turrets each a Pyramid;-- For the Tears that we shed, are Gladness, A mockery of Sadness!
Now first published from an MS.
9
NONSENSE
[AN EXPERIMENT FOR A METRE]
I wish on earth to sing Of Jove the bounteous store, That all the Earth may ring With Tale of Wrong no more.
I fear no foe in field or tent, Tho" weak our cause yet strong his Grace: As Polar roamers clad in Fur, Unweeting whither we were bent We found as "twere a native place, Where not a Blast could stir: { For Jove had his Almighty Presence lent: { Each eye beheld, in each transfigured Face, { The radiant light of Joy, and Hope"s forgotten Trace.
_or_
{ O then I sing Jove"s bounteous store-- { On rushing wing while sea-mews roar, { And raking Tides roll Thunder on the sh.o.r.e.
Now first published from an MS.
10
EXPERIMENTS IN METRE
There in some darksome shade Methinks I"d weep Myself asleep, And there forgotten fade.
First published from an MS. in 1893.
11
Once again, sweet Willow, wave thee!
Why stays my Love?