Page:The complete poetical works and letters of John Keats, 1899.djvu/76

40 For many years my offering must be hush'd;

When I do speak, I 'll think upon this hour,

Because I feel my forehead hot and flush'd.

Even at the simplest vassal of thy power,—

A lock of thy bright hair—

Sudden it came,

And I was startled, when I caught thy name

Coupled so unaware;

Yet, at the moment, temperate was my blood.

I thought I had beheld it from the flood.

Romance, with serene lute!

Fair plumèd Syren, Queen of far away!

Leave melodizing on this wintry day,

Shut up thine olden pages, and be mute:

Adieu! for once again the fierce dispute,

Betwixt damnation and impassion'd clay,

Must I burn through; once more humbly assay

The bitter sweet of this Shakespearean fruit:

Chief Poet! and ye clouds of Albion,

Begetters of our deep eternal theme!

When through the old oak forest I am gone,

Let me not wander in a barren dream,

But when I am consumèd in the Fire,

Give me new Phœnix-wings to fly at my desire.

of Poets dead and gone,

What Elysium have ye known,

Happy field or mossy cavern,

Choicer than the Mermaid Tavern?

Have ye tippled drink more fine

Than mine host's Canary wine?

Or are fruits of Paradise

Sweeter than those dainty pies

Of venison? O generous food!

Drest as though bold Robin Hood

Would, with his maid Marian,

Sup and bowse from horn and can.

I have heard that on a day

Mine host's sign-board flew away,

Nobody knew whither, till

An astrologer's old quill

To a sheepskin gave the story,

Said he saw you in your glory,

Underneath a new-old sign

Sipping beverage divine,

And pledging with contented smack

The Mermaid in the Zodiac.

Souls of Poets dead and gone,

What Elysium have ye known,

Happy field or mossy cavern,

Choicer than the Mermaid Tavern?