BETA

Adeline.

Mystery of mysteries,1
Faintly-smiling Adeline,2
Scarce of earth, nor all divine,3
Nor unhappy, nor at rest ;4
But beyond expression fair,5
With thy floating flaxen hair,6
Thy roselips and full blue eyes7
Take the heart from out my breast ;8
Wherefore those dim looks of thine,9
Shadowy, dreaming Adeline ?10
Whence that aery bloom of thine,11
Like a lily which the sun12
Looks through in his sad decline,13
And a rosebush leans upon,14
Thou that faintly smilest still,15
As a Naiad in a well,16
Looking at the set of day,17
Or a phantom two hours old18
Of a maiden past away,19
Ere the placid lips be cold ?20
Wherefore those faint smiles of thine,21
Spiritual Adeline ?22
What hope or fear or joy is thine ?23
Who talketh with thee, Adeline ?24
For sure thou art not all alone.25
Do beating hearts of salient springs26
Keep measure with thine own ?27
Hast thou heard the butterflies28
What they say betwixt their wings ?29
Or in stillest evenings30
With what voice the violet woos31
To his heart the silver dews ?32
Or when little airs arise,33
How the merry bluebell rings34
To the mosses underneath ?35
Hast thou looked upon the breath36
Of the lilies at sunrise ?37
Wherefore that faint smile of thine,38
Shadowy, dreaming Adeline ?39
Some honey-converse feeds thy mind,40
Some spirit of a crimson rose41
In love with thee forgets to close42
His curtains, wasting ordorous sighs43
All night long on darkness blind.44
What aileth thee ? whom waitest thou45
With thy softened, shadowed brow,46
And those dewlit eyes of thine,47
Thou faint smiler, Adeline ?48
Lovest thou the doleful wind49
When thou gazest at the skies ?50
Doth the low-tongued Orient51
Wander from the side o’ the morn52
Dripping with Sabæan spice53
On thy pillow, lowly bent54
With melodious airs lovelorn,55
Breathing light against thy face,56
While his locks a-dropping twined57
Round thy neck in subtle ring,58
Make a carcanet of rays,59
And ye talk together still,60
In the language wherewith spring61
Letters cowslips on the hill ?62
Hance that look and smile of thine,63
Spiritual Adeline.64