358 SIR LAUNCELOT AND QUEEN GUINEVERE. Then, in the boyhood of the year, A She seem'd a part of joyous Spring : gown of grass-green Now on some twisted ivy-net, On mosses thick with violet, Her cream-white mule his pastern set: And now more fleet she skimm'd the plains Than she whose elfin prancer springs By night to eery warblings, When all the glimmering moorland rings With jingling bridle-reins. As she fled fast thro' sun and shade, The rein with dainty finger-tips, A man had given all other bliss, A FAREWELL. FLOW down, cold rivulet, to the sea, Thy tribute wave deliver : No more by thee my steps shall be, For ever and for ever. Flow, softly flow, by lawn and lea, No where by thee my steps shall be, But here will sigh thine alder tree, And here thine aspen shiver; And here by thee will hum the bee, For ever and for ever. A thousand suns will stream on thee, THE BEGGAR MAID. HER arms across her breast she laid; She was more fair than words can say: In robe and crown the king stept down, 66 She is more beautiful than day." As shines the moon in clouded skies, She in her poor attire was seen: One praised her ancles, one her eyes, One her dark hair and lovesome mien. So sweet a face, such angel grace, In all that land had never been: Cophetua sware a royal oath : "This beggar maid shall be my queen!" THE VISION OF SIN. I HAD a vision when the night was late : He rode a horse with wings, that would have flown, A sleepy light upon their brows and lips- Dreams over lake and lawn, and isles and capes Suffused them, sitting, lying, languid shapes, By heaps of gourds, and skins of wine, and piles of grapes. Then methought I heard a mellow sound, Panted hand in hand with faces pale, The strong tempestuous treble throbb'd and palpitated; Caught the sparkles, and in circles, Flung the torrent rainbow round: Then they started from their places, Hair, and eyes, and limbs, and faces, Like to Furies, like to Graces, Dash'd together in blinding dew; The nerve-dissolving melody Flutter'd headlong from the sky. |