“De gracieux noms suis appelée,
Venir ne puis,
Par tems et devoir enchaînée,
Oiseau ne suis.
Si, comme la pensée moult radieuse,
Ailes j’avais,
A votre source mystérieuse
Je renaîtrais.
Je baignerais dans l’harmonie
De la chanson,
Cherchant des froideurs de la vie
La guérison.
Au grand soleil qui vous innonde
De son amour,
Oyez—je volerais une onde,
Beau troubadour.
Je cueillerais de vos pensées
La fraîche fleur,
Vos harpes au cœur accordées
Me diraient: Sœur!
Le Mistral même s’est fait caresse!
Venir ne puis
A votre source enchanteresse;
Oiseau ne suis!”
Elisabeth.
Sestri Ponente, le 11 Avril 1883.
We will also mention the two newest works of Carmen Sylva that were published at Christmas 1883. First we will tell of a little book of novelettes, termed “Etchings.” It contains sketches and pictures from life, which bear the technical titles of the work of the artist, such as Engravings, Chalk Drawings, Wood Engravings, &c. “In my eyes,” says the royal lady, “novelettes are for the poet what studies of heads are for the artist, and the aphorisms are the slight sketches in the sketch-book.” Almost at the same time the large collection of poems termed ‘My Rest’ appeared.
Amongst them are poetic idylls reverting to the twelve months of the year. A collection of poems belong to each of these, some of which are written in the form of epic poems or romances, others in lyric, epigrammatic, or didactic form. Most of the ballads are taken from life. In these forms the poetic genius and intellectual power of Carmen Sylva appear to their greatest advantage, and we find many cheerful songs in this rich collection. “The Post,” a Roumanian picture, vivid with life and colour, is particularly charming. It runs thus:—