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A Household Book of English Poetry: Selected and Arranged with Notes — John Shaqi

A Household Book of English Poetry: Selected and Arranged with Notes

General

A Household Book of English Poetry: Selected and Arranged with Notes

American poetry; English poetry

Still young and fine! but what is still in view
    We slight as old and soiled, though fresh and new.
    How bright wert thou, when Shem’s admiring eye
    Thy burnished, flaming arch did first descry!
    When Terah, Nahor, Haran, Abram, Lot,                              5
    The youthful world’s gray fathers, in one knot
    Did with intentive looks watch every hour
    For thy new light, and trembled at each shower!
    When thou dost shine, darkness looks white and fair,
    Forms turn to music, clouds to smiles and air:                    10
    Rain gently spends his honey-drops, and pours
    Balm on the cleft earth, milk on grass and flowers.
    Bright pledge of peace and sunshine! the sure tie
    Of thy Lord’s hand, the object of his eye!
    When I behold thee, though my light be dim,                       15
    Distant and low, I can in thine see Him,
    Who looks upon thee from his glorious throne,
    And minds the covenant betwixt all and One.
              _Henry Vaughan._




LXXXV

_L’ALLEGRO._


    Hence, loathèd Melancholy,
      Of Cerberus and blackest Midnight born,
    In Stygian cave forlorn,
      ’Mongst horrid shapes, and shrieks, and sights unholy!
    Find out some uncouth cell,                                        5
      Where brooding Darkness spreads his jealous wings,
    And the night-raven sings;
      There under ebon shades, and low-browed rocks,
    As ragged as thy locks,
      In dark Cimmerian desert ever dwell.                            10
      But come, thou Goddess fair and free,
    In heaven yclept Euphrosyne,
    And by men, heart-easing Mirth;
    Whom lovely Venus, at a birth,
    With two sister Graces more,                                      15
    To ivy-crownèd Bacchus bore:
    Or whether (as some sager sing)
    The frolic wind that breathes the spring,
    Zephyr, with Aurora playing,
    As he met her once a-maying,                                      20
    There on beds of violets blue,
    And fresh-blown roses washed in dew,
    Filled her with thee, a daughter fair,
    So buxom, blithe, and debonair.
      Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee                          25
    Jest, and youthful Jollity,
    Quips, and cranks, and wanton wiles,
    Nods, and becks, and wreathèd smiles,
    Such as hang on Hebe’s cheek,
    And love to live in dimple sleek;                                 30
    Sport, that wrinkled Care derides,
    And Laughter, holding both his sides.
    Come, and trip it as you go
    On the light fantastic toe;
    And in thy right hand lead with thee                              35
    The mountain-nymph, sweet Liberty;
    And, if I give thee honour due,
    Mirth, admit me of thy crew,
    To live with her, and live with thee,
    In unreprovèd pleasures free;                                     40
    To hear the lark begin his flight,
    And singing startle the dull night
    From his watch-tower in the skies,

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A Household Book of English Poetry: Selected and Arranged with Notes

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