THE CALL TO BATTLE Then the mother kissed her son, with tears That o'er his dark locks fell: "I bless, I bless thee o'er and o'er, Yet I stay thee not- Farewell! 189 "One moment! but one moment give to parting thought or word! It is no time for woman's tears when manhood's heart is stirred. Bear but the memory of my love about thee in the fight, To breathe upon the avenging sword a spell of keener might." And a maiden's fond adieu was heard, "Come forth! come as the torrent comes when the winter's chain is burst! So rushes on the land's revenge, in night and silence nursed. The night is passed, the silence o'er — on all our hills we rise: We wait thee, youth! sleep, dream no more! the voice of battle cries." There were sad hearts in a darkened home, But the strength of prayer and sacrifice NIGHT-BLOWING FLOWERS CHILDREN of Night! unfolding meekly, slowly, To spirit-haunted sleep, O dedicated flowers! Ye, from the gaze of crowds your beauty veiling, And but to shades disclose The inmost thought, which glows Shut from the sounds wherein the day rejoices, THE WANDERER AND THE NIGHT-FLOWERS 191 THE WANDERER AND THE NIGHT-FLOWERS CALL back your odours, lovely flowers! The lark lies couched in her grassy nest, And all bright things are away to rest Is not your world a mournful one, When your sisters close their eyes, And your soft breath meets not a lingering tone Take ye no joy in the dayspring's birth, And the thousand strains of the forest's mirth, Shut your sweet bells till the fawn comes out And the woodland child with a fairy shout "Nay! let our shadowy beauty bloom When the stars give quiet light, And let us offer our faint perfume On the silent shrine of Night. "Call it not wasted, the scent we lend "And love us as emblems, Night's dewy flowers, That spring through the gloom of the darkest hours Looking alone to heaven!" THE SWAN AND THE SKYLARK "Adieu, adieu! thy plaintive anthem fades Past the near meadows, over the still stream, "Higher still and higher From the earth thou springest; Like a cloud of fire The blue deep thou wingest; And singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest."-SHELLEY. MIDST the long reeds that o'er a Grecian stream Warbled his death chant. And a poet stood THE SWAN AND THE SKYLARK 193 "O SUMMER! I depart O light and laughing summer! fare-thee-well: No song the less through thy rich woods will swell, For one, one broken heart. "And fare-ye-well, young flowers! Ye will not mourn! ye will shed odour still, Known to my youth's fresh hours. "And ye, bright founts! that lie Far in the whispering forests, lone and deep, "Will ye not send one tone Of sorrow through the pines?- one murmur low? Shall not the green leaves from your voices know That I, your child, am gone? "No! ever glad and free Ye have no sounds a tale of death to tell: "But thou, sweet boon! too late Poured on my parting breath, vain gift of song! Why com'st thou thus, o'ermastering, rich and strong, In the dark hour of fate? "Only to wake the sighs Of echo-voices from their sparry cell; N |