Moonlight

EVEN as walk on middle earth
The shades of the unquiet dead
That loathe the graves allotted them from birth
And wander without end, uncomforted;
So the dead moon, poor restless rover
That died by fire, long, long ago,
Wanders forlorn the steeps of heaven over;
With death's despair and life's outwearied woe
She journeys, a reluctant lustre giving
To this world's throbbing life and strong,
And, being dead, envieth all things living,
And sheds a passing death her beams along.
To that weird corpse-light worse than dark,
All fair things for a little die;
The spell-bound earth lies, colourless and stark,
Beneath the wan ghost witch's jealous eye.

Waking

SO fair a dream last night my heart had kissed,
I sought some token of it, but 'twould give
Nothing, save formless fancies fugitive,
That slipped from words' encirclement away—
As, when hell's shades 'gan quicken with the day,
His lost belovèd fled the lutanist.

Feather Boats

WHILE the wind low o'er the green pool creeps
Spoiling with kisses the wood's mirrored beauty,
Kneel we close down by the margin preparing
To launch the frail craft on those perilous deeps.
Swift the wind takes them, we lean to see
Over the water gallantly faring
Forth our fantastical argosy.
Silver-white galleons beating to seaward,
Freighted with fancies lighter than foam,
Bound for far havens and tall towns enchanted—
Stir, sleepy breezes, and bring them safe home.
Cabot sailing for ever and ever
To the unknown where the wild ducks nest;
Morgan mooring to rape the treasure
Hid in a lily's unsullied breast;
Nearer, in shore among lowering leaf-bergs
Franklin, crushed on his fatal quest.
So I behold in your eyes re-awaken
Brave sad tales that the sea wind sings,
Tales of old mariners, daring hid dangers,
Ghosts of forgotten adventurings.
Heart of my heart, in your manhood's hereafter,
When you've grown taller, and harder to please,
Will you turn sometimes your wandering wishes
Back to the hours when with eyes full of laughter
You watched where the day-dreaming willow trees
Dipped their long fingers to catch at the fishes,
Mock sails flying on mimic seas?