[1] 1830. The knotted lies of human creeds. [2] 1830. “Which” for “that”. [3] 1830. Through and through. [4] The reference is to Genesis xxxii. 24-32. Madeline First published in 1830. 1 Thou art not steep’d in golden languors, No tranced summer calm is thine, Ever varying Madeline. Thro’[1] light and shadow thou dost range, Sudden glances, sweet and strange, Delicious spites and darling angers, And airy[2] forms of flitting change. 2 Smiling, frowning, evermore, Thou art perfect in love-lore. Revealings deep and clear are thine Of wealthy smiles: but who may know Whether smile or frown be fleeter? Whether smile or frown be sweeter, Who may know? Frowns perfect-sweet along the brow Light-glooming over eyes divine, Like little clouds sun-fringed, are thine, Ever varying Madeline. Thy smile and frown are not aloof From one another, Each to each is dearest brother; Hues of the silken sheeny woof Momently shot into each other. All the mystery is thine; Smiling, frowning, evermore, Thou art perfect in love-lore, Ever varying Madeline. 3 A subtle, sudden flame, By veering passion fann’d, About thee breaks and dances When I would kiss thy hand, The flush of anger’d shame O’erflows thy calmer glances, And o’er black brows drops down A sudden curved frown: But when I turn away, Thou, willing me to stay, Wooest not, nor vainly wranglest; But, looking fixedly the while, All my bounding heart entanglest In a golden-netted smile; Then in madness and in bliss, If my lips should dare to kiss Thy taper fingers amorously,[3] Again thou blushest angerly; And o’er black brows drops down A sudden-curved frown. [1] 1830. Through. [2] 1830. Aery. [3] 1830. Three-times-three; though noted as an _erratum_ for amorously. Song—The Owl First printed in 1830. 1 When cats run home and light is come, And dew is cold upon the ground, And the far-off stream is dumb, And the whirring sail goes round, And the whirring sail goes round; Alone and warming his five wits, The white owl in the belfry sits. 2 When merry milkmaids click the latch, And rarely smells the new-mown hay, And the cock hath sung beneath the thatch Twice or thrice his roundelay, Twice or thrice his roundelay; Alone and warming his five wits, The white owl in the belfry sits. Second Song—To the Same First printed in 1830. 1 Thy tuwhits are lull’d I wot, Thy tuwhoos of yesternight, Which upon the dark afloat, So took echo with delight, So took echo with delight, That her voice untuneful grown, Wears all day a fainter tone. 2 I would mock thy chaunt anew; But I cannot mimick it; Not a whit of thy tuwhoo, Thee to woo to thy tuwhit, Thee to woo to thy tuwhit, With a lengthen’d loud halloo, Tuwhoo, tuwhit, tuwhit, tuwhoo-o-o. Recollections of the Arabian Nights First printed in 1830.