Lines: "I Stooped from Star-Bright Regions"
I stooped from star-bright regions, where
Thou canst not enter even in prayer;
And thought to light thy heart and hearth
With all the poesy of earth.
Oh, foolish hope! those mystic gleams
To thee were unsubstantial dreams;
The paltry world had made thee blind,
And shut thy heart and dulled thy mind.
I was a vassal at thy feet,
And cringed more meanly than was meet,
And since I dared not to be free,
Was scouted as a slave should be.
I gave thee all—my truth, my trust—
I bowed my spirit in the dust,
I put a crown upon thy brow,
And am its proper victim now.
A Trifle
I know not why, but ev'n to me
My songs seem sweet when read to thee.
Perhaps in this the pleasure lies—
I read my thoughts within thine eyes.
And so dare fancy that my art
May sink as deeply as thy heart.
Perhaps I love to make my words
Sing round thee like so many birds,
Or, maybe, they are only sweet
As they seem offerings at thy feet.
Or haply, Lily, when I speak,
I think, perchance, they touch thy cheek,
Or with a yet more precious bliss,
Die on thy red lips in a kiss.
Each reason here—I cannot tell—
Or all perhaps may solve the spell.
But if she watch when I am by,
Lily may deeper see than I.
Lines: "I Saw, or Dreamed I Saw, Her Sitting Lone"
I saw, or dreamed I saw, her sitting lone,
Her neck bent like a swan's, her brown eyes thrown
On some sweet poem—his, I think, who sings
Oenone, or the hapless Maud: no rings
Flashed from the dainty fingers, which held back
Her beautiful blonde hair. Ah! would these black
Locks of mine own were mingling with it now,
And these warm lips were pressed against her brow!
And, as she turned a page, methought I heard—
Hush! could it be?—a faintly murmured word,
It was so softly dwelt on—such a smile
Played on her brow and wreathed her lip the while
That my heart leaped to hear it, and a flame
Burned on my forehead—Sa'ra!—'t was my name.