When I do come, she will speak not, she will stand, Either hand On my shoulder, give her eyes the first embrace Of my face, Ere we rush, ere we extinguish sight and speech Each on each. In one year they sent a million fighters forth And they built their gods a brazen pillar high Yet reserved a thousand chariots in full force- 72 Oh heart! oh blood that freezes, blood that burns! Earth's returns For whole centuries of folly, noise and sin! I SEE the wealthy miller yet, His double chin, his portly size, The slow wise smile that, round about His dusty forehead dryly curl'd, Seem'd half-within and half-without, And full of dealings with the world? In yonder chair I see him sit, Three fingers round the old silver cupI see his gray eyes twinkle yet At his own jest-gray eyes lit up With summer lightnings of a soul So full of summer warmth, so glad, So healthy, sound, and clear and whole, His memory scarce can make me sad. Yet fill my glass: give me one kiss: My own sweet Alice, we must die. Have I not found a happy earth? I least should breathe a thought of pain. Would God renew me from my birth I'd almost live my life again. So sweet it seems with thee to walk, It seems in after-dinner talk Across the walnuts and the wine 8 16 24 32 To be the long and listless boy Have lived and loved alone so long, And oft I heard the tender dove In firry woodlands making moan; Before I dream'd that pleasant dream Still hither thither idly sway'd Like those long mosses in the stream. 40 48 Or from the bridge I lean'd to hear The milldam rushing down with noise, And see the minnows everywhere In crystal eddies glance and poise, The tall flag-flowers when they sprung Below the range of stepping-stones, Or those three chestnuts near, that hung In masses thick with milky cones. But, Alice, what an hour was that, 56 Were glistening to the breezy blue; A love-song I had somewhere read, From some odd corner of the brain. That went and came a thousand times. Then leapt a trout. In lazy mood I watch'd the little circles die; A glowing arm, a gleaming neck, For you remember, you had set, That morning, on the casement-edge A long green box of mignonette, And you were leaning from the ledge: And when I raised my eyes, above They met with two so full and bright— Such eyes! I swear to you, my love, That these have never lost their light. 64 72 80 88 I loved, and love dispell'd the fear And fill'd the breast with purer breath. To move about the house with joy, I loved the brimming wave that swam The pool beneath it never still, Made misty with the floating meal. And oft in ramblings on the wold, And full at heart of trembling hope, Upon the freshly-flower'd slope. 96 104 112 The deep brook groan'd beneath the mill; And "by that lamp," I thought, "she sits!" The white chalk-quarry from the hill Gleam'd to the flying moon by fits. |