Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918.djvu/886

 LORD TENNYSON

Beginning to faint in the light that she loves

On a bed of daffodil sky, To faint in the light of the sun she loves,

To faint in his light, and to die.

All night have the roses heard

The flute, viohn, bassoon; All night has the casement jessamine stirr'd

To the dancers dancing in tune, Till a silence fell with the waking bird,

And a hush with the setting moon.

I said to the lily, 'There is but one

With whom she has heart to be gay, When will the dancers leave her alone?

She is weary of dance and play.' Now half to the setting moon arc gone,

And half to the rising day; Low on the sand and loud on the stone

The last wheel echoes away.

I said to the rose, 'The brief night goes

In babble and revel and wine. O young lord-lover, what highs are those

For one that will never be thine ^ But mine, but mine,' so I swaic to the rose,

'For ever and ever, mine.'

And the soul of the rose went into my blood, As the music clash'd in the hall;

And long by the garden lake I stood, For I heard your rivulet fall

From the lake to the meadow and on to the wood,

Our wood, that is dearer than all;

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