NEW POEMS ECLOGUE I THE MONTHS BASIL AND EDWARD MAN hath with man on earth no holier bond Than that the Muse weaves with her dreamy thread: Than that which Edward unto Basil led, But now again were these fine lovers met Looking upon the vales of Somerset, Where the far sea gleam'd o'er the bosky combes, Satisfying their spirits the livelong day With various mirth and revelation due And delicate intimacy of delight, As there in happy indolence they lay And drank the sun, while round the breezy height Beneath their feet rabbit and listless ewe Nibbled the scented herb and grass at will. Much talked they at their ease; and at the last This time of the year,-but now twelve years are past,— Some jewel of love that God therein would set, JANUARY ED. The moon that mounts the sun's deserted way, Turns the long winter night to a silver day; But setteth golden in face of the solemn sight Of her lord arising upon a world of white. FEBRUARY BA. I have in my heart a vision of spring begun MARCH ED. Now carol the birds at dawn, and some new lay Announceth a homecome voyager every day. Beneath the tufted sallows the streamlet thrills With the leaping trout and the gleam of the daffodils. APRIL BA. Then laugheth the year; with flowers the meads are bright; The bursting branches are tipped with flames of light: The landscape is light; the dark clouds flee above, And the shades of the land are a blue that is deep as love. MAY ED. But if you have seen a village all red and old In cherry-orchards a-sprinkle with white and gold, By a hawthorn seated, or a witch-elm flowering high, A gay breeze making riot in the waving rye! JUNE BA. Then night retires from heaven; the high winds go A-sailing in cloud-pavilions of cavern'd snow. O June, sweet Philomel sang thy cradle-lay; In rosy revel thy spirit shall pass away. JULY ED. Heavy is the green of the fields, heavy the trees In the thund'rous air: the crowded scents lie low : AUGUST BA. A reaper with dusty shoon and hat of straw SEPTEMBER ED. Earth's flaunting flower of passion fadeth fair As the art of man makes wisdom to glorify OCTOBER BA. On frosty morns with the woods aflame, down, down The golden spoils fall thick from the chestnut crown. May Autumn in tranquil glory her riches spend, With mellow apples her orchard-branches bend. NOVEMBER ED. Sad mists have hid the sun, the land is forlorn : DECEMBER BA. I pray thee don thy jerkin of olden time, Bring us good ice, and silver the trees with rime; And I will good cheer, good music and wine bestow, When the Christmas guest comes galloping over the snow. Thus they in verse alternate sang the year Sweet the pine's murmur, and, shepherd, sweet thy pipe,- Of Tityrus sang under the spreading beech Bidding their idle flocks at will to feed, ECLOGUE II GIOVANNI DUPRÈ LAWRENCE AND RICHARD LAWRENCE Look down the river-against the western sky- Slowly trails o'er with waving banners high, RICHARD "Twill be the funeral of Giovánn Duprè And see what relic of old splendour cheers LAWRENCE They esteem him well To lay his bones with Michael Angelo. Who might he be? RICHARD He too a sculptor, one Who left a work long to resist the years. LAWRENCE You make me question further. |