False Waters.
(Suggested by Horace’s “ Ode to Pyrrha.”)
Who amidst June’s blushing roses1
In your clasping arms reposes ?2
Perfumed with the sweetest scent3
E’er to dainty lover lent4
From each od’rous summer flow’r,5
What fond youth in shady bow’r6
Meets you at the sunset hour ?7
Or in grotto, silver’d white8
By the moon’s delicious light,9
Leans beside you, steep’d in bliss10
To feel upon his cheek the kiss11
Dropped by lips of rosy hue,12
And, like roses, fragrant too—13
Roses fresh with early dew ?14
For whom with easy, natural grace15
From off a blooming, beauteous face—16
From off a brow of dazzling snow—17
In all its rippling, silken flow—18
In all its wondrous golden glow—19
Do you fillet up your hair20
Above a neck as Venus’ fair,21
And a little ear above,22
That like a tender, nestling dove23
In some sleepy, sun-lit grove24
Gleams from out the radiance bright,25
Itself a pearly thing of light ?26
Alas ! how often shall he grieve27
And swear the cruel gods deceive,28
When you turn from his embrace29
With drooping and averted face ;30
When his fingers’ eager grasp31
Meets no warm, responsive clasp ;32
When, in dawning misery,33
He first suspects your perfidy !34
Ignorant of the faithless gale,35
He ventures out with careless sail36
Upon Passion’s treacherous sea,37
Dreaming it will always be38
Sunny, tremulous, as now,39
Yielding to the gilded prow,40
Whose jewelled glitterings avow41
The full heart’s prodigality—42
Of the gay bark, bounding free43
Over Love’s changeful territ’ry,44
Under burning azure skies45
Where all coward suspicion flies,46
Shunning the full brilliancy ;47
Where the lightest cloud-flake dies,48
Melting in the mystery.49
Fearless ; unprepared for ruth ;50
Trusting in the untried truth51
Of his soul’s selected bride ;52
Dreading neither wind nor tide53
On the ocean of his love,54
Which the Heavens smile above ;55
Credulous where all seems fair—56
He shall meet in blank despair57
The blackening storm, the swelling wave,58
Praying Neptune now to save59
Him, that God’s once favoured slave,60
From a dark, unrestful grave—61
Grave of deathless agony,62
Rocked by sleepless memory.63
On to that disastrous sea,64
With your coaxing witchery,65
Pyrrha, once you tempted me ;66
Luring me as sirens lure67
With melodious voices pure—68
With entrancing, winning wiles—69
With beaming and seductive smiles—70
With all their soft, resistless charms—71
To their pitiless white arms—72
The hapless victim—but to take73
The life he hazards for their sake.74
Ah, that wild adventurous season75
When, in scorn of quiet reason,76
I launched out on those smooth waves77
Whose sparkling spray Youth’s green shore laves—78
Shore I left in reckless glee79
To meet the fate prepared for me !80
O’er the glassy surface gaily81
Glided my light skiff along ;82
Every rosy hour was daily83
Given up to mirth and song ;84
Brightly the blue waters glittered85
’Neath the ardent summer ray,86
As in wanton waste I frittered87
All the joyous time away :—88
Joyous time so swiftly over89
For the all-unconscious lover !90
Soon the cloudless heavens changed ;91
Soon our hearts were wide estranged ;92
Soon my fragile, fairy boat93
Was dashed on Falsehood’s hidden rock ;94
I myself being left to float95
And recover from the shock,96
Without a hand held out to save97
My bleeding body from the wave ;—98
To drift at last to that safe shore99
I shall quit, ah, never more !—100
To that fair and peaceful strand101
Where my true-love watched for me ;102
Here, soul-in-soul, as hand-in-hand,103
To pass Love’s calm Eternity.104