Fears And Scruples Here’s my case. Of old I used to love him. This same unseen friend, before I knew: Dream there was none like him, none above him,– Wake to hope and trust my dream was true. Loved I not his letters full of beauty? Not his actions famous far and wide? Absent, he would kn... »
Abt Volger (after he has been extemporizing upon the musical instrument of his invention) Would that the structure brave, the manifold music I build, Bidding my organ obey, calling its keys to their work, Claiming each slave of the sound, at a touch, as when Solomon willed Armies of angels that soar... »
Introduction Pippa Passes New Year’s Day at Asolo in the Trevisan Scene.- A large mean airy chamber. A girl, Pippa, from the Silk-mills, springing out of bed . Day! Faster and more fast, O’er night’s brim, day boils at last: Boils, pure gold, o’er the cloud-cup’s brim W... »
Pippa’s Song The year’s at the spring, And day’s at the morn; Morning’s at seven; The hill-side’s dew-pearl’d; The lark’s on the wing; The snail’s on the thorn; God’s in His heaven– All’s right with the world! Hits: 0 »
Thus The Mayne Glideth THUS the Mayne glideth Where my Love abideth; Sleep ‘s no softer: it proceeds On through lawns, on through meads, On and on, whate’er befall, Meandering and musical, Though the niggard pasturage Bears not on its shaven ledge Aught but weeds and waving grasses To vi... »
In Three Days I. So, I shall see her in three days And just one night, but nights are short, Then two long hours, and that is morn. See how I come, unchanged, unworn! Feel, where my life broke off from thine, How fresh the splinters keep and fine,— Only a touch and we combine! II. Too long, th... »
Childe Roland To The Dark Tower Came I. My first thought was, he lied in every word, That hoary cripple, with malicious eye Askance to watch the working of his lie On mine, and mouth scarce able to afford Suppression of the glee, that pursed and scored Its edge, at one more victim gained thereby. II... »
Master Hugues Of Saxe-Gotha An imaginary composer.] I. Hist, but a word, fair and soft! Forth and be judged, Master Hugues! Answer the question I’ve put you so oft: What do you mean by your mountainous fugues? See, we’re alone in the loft,— II. I, the poor organist here, Hugues, th... »
The Boy And The Angel Morning, evening, noon and night, “Praise God!; sang Theocrite. Then to his poor trade he turned, Whereby the daily meal was earned. Hard he laboured, long and well; O’er his work the boy’s curls fell. But ever, at each period, He stopped and sang, “Prai... »
Youth And Art 1 It once might have been, once only: 2 We lodged in a street together, 3 You, a sparrow on the housetop lonely, 4 I, a lone she-bird of his feather. 5 Your trade was with sticks and clay, 6 You thumbed, thrust, patted and polished, 7 Then laughed ‘They will see some day 8 Smith ... »
Home Thoughts, From Abroad Oh, to be in England Now that April’s there, And whoever wakes in England Sees, some morning, unaware, That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf, While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough In England—now! And after Ap... »
Apparitions (_Prologue to ‘The Two Poets of Croisic.’_) Such a starved bank of moss Till, that May-morn, Blue ran the flash across: Violets were born! Sky–what a scowl of cloud Till, near and far, Ray on ray split the shroud: Splendid, a star! World–how it walled about Life w... »
O’ Lyric Love O’ Lyric Love, half angel and half bird, And all a wonder and a wild desire,- Boldest of hearts that ever braved the sun, Took sanctuary within the holier blue, And sang a kindred soul out to his face,- Yet human at the red-ripe of the heart- When the first summons from the... »
The Last Ride Together I. I said—Then, dearest, since ’tis so, Since now at length my fate I know, Since nothing all my love avails, Since all, my life seemed meant for, fails, Since this was written and needs must be— My whole heart rises up to bless Your name in pride and thankfu... »
Evelyn Hope I. Beautiful Evelyn Hope is dead! Sit and watch by her side an hour. That is her book-shelf, this her bed; She plucked that piece of geranium-flower, Beginning to die too, in the glass; Little has yet been changed, I think: The shutters are shut, no light may pass Save two long rays thro... »
After Take the cloak from his face, and at first Let the corpse do its worst! How he lies in his rights of a man! Death has done all death can. And, absorbed in the new life he leads, He recks not, he heeds Nor his wrong nor my vengeance; both strike On his senses alike, And are lost in the solemn a... »
Italian In England, The That second time they hunted me From hill to plain, from shore to sea, And Austria, hounding far and wide Her blood-hounds thro’ the country-side, Breathed hot and instant on my trace,— I made six days a hiding-place Of that dry green old aqueduct Where I and Char... »
Popularity I. Stand still, true poet that you are! I know you; let me try and draw you. Some night you’ll fail us: when afar You rise, remember one man saw you, Knew you, and named a star! II. My star, God’s glow-worm! Why extend That loving hand of his which leads you Yet locks you safe... »
To Edward Fitzgerald I chanced upon a new book yesterday; I opened it, and, where my finger lay ‘Twixt page and uncut page, these words I read – Some six or seven at most – and learned thereby That you, Fitzgerald, whom by ear and eye She never knew, “thanked God my wife was ... »
In A Year Never any more, While I live, Need I hope to see his face As before. Once his love grown chill, Mine may strive: Bitterly we re-embrace, Single still. II. Was it something said, Something done, Vexed him? was it touch of hand, Turn of head? Strange! that very way Love begun: I as little un... »
Cavalier Tunes Marching Along Kentish Sir Byng stood for his King, Bidding the crop-headed Parliament swing: And, pressing a troop unable to stoop And see the rogues flourish and honest folk droop, Marched them along, fifty score strong, Great-hearted gentlemen, singing this song. God for King Charl... »
Meeting At Night I. The grey sea and the long black land; And the yellow half-moon large and low; And the startled little waves that leap In fiery ringlets from their sleep, As I gain the cove with pushing prow, And quench its speed i’ the slushy sand. II. Then a mile of warm sea-scented beach... »
The Flight Of The Duchess I. You’re my friend: I was the man the Duke spoke to; I helped the Duchess to cast off his yoke, too; So here’s the tale from beginning to end, My friend! II. Ours is a great wild country: If you climb to our castle’s top, I don’t see where your eye ... »
A Cavalier Song Kentish Sir Byng stood for his King, Bidding the crop-headed Parliament swing: And, pressing a troop unable to stoop And see the rogues flourish and honest folk droop, Marched them along, fifty score strong, Great-hearted gentlemen, singing this song. God for King Charles! Pym and su... »
Holy-Cross Day ON WHICH THE JEWS WERE FORCED TO ATTEND AN ANNUAL CHRISTIAN SERMON IN ROME. [“Now was come about Holy-Cross Day, and now must my lord preach his first sermon to the Jews: as it was of old cared for in tine merciful bowels of the Church, that, so to speak, a crumb at least from h... »
Apparent Failure ‘We shall soon lose a celebrated building.’ –_Paris Newspaper_. No, for I’ll save it! Seven years since I passed through Paris, stopped a day To see the baptism of your Prince, Saw, made my bow, and went my way: Walking the heat and headache off, I took the S... »
Old Pictures In Florence I. The morn when first it thunders in March, The eel in the pond gives a leap, they say: As I leaned and looked over the aloed arch Of the villa-gate this warm March day, No flash snapped, no dumb thunder rolled In the valley beneath where, white and wide And washed by the m... »
The Lost Mistress I. All’s over, then: does truth sound bitter As one at first believes? Hark, ’tis the sparrows’ good-night twitter About your cottage eaves! II. And the leaf-buds on the vine are woolly, I noticed that, to-day; One day more bursts them open fully —You know t... »
Caliban Upon Setebos Or, Natural Theology In The Island “Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself.” (David, Psalms 50.21) [‘Will sprawl, now that the heat of day is best, Flat on his belly in the pit’s much mire, With elbows wide, fists clenched to prop his... »
Among The Rocks Oh, good gigantic smile o’ the brown old earth, This autumn morning! How he sets his bones To bask i’ the sun, and thrusts out knees and feet For the ripple to run over in its mirth; Listening the while, where on the heap of stones The white breast of the sea-lark twitter... »
Laboratory, The ANCIEN R GIME. I. Now that I, tying thy glass mask tightly, May gaze thro’ these faint smokes curling whitely, As thou pliest thy trade in this devil’s-smithy— Which is the poison to poison her, prithee? II. He is with her, and they know that I know Where they are, ... »
Porphyria’s Lover The rain set early in to-night, The sullen wind was soon awake, It tore the elm-tops down for spite, And did its worst to vex the lake: I listened with heart fit to break. When glided in Porphyria; straight She shut the cold out and the storm, And kneeled and made the cheerle... »
Time’s Revenges I’ve a Friend, over the sea; I like him, but he loves me. It all grew out of the books I write; They find such favour in his sight That he slaughters you with savage looks Because you don’t admire my books. He does himself though,—and if some vein Were to snap... »
In A Gondola He sings_. I send my heart up to thee, all my heart In this my singing. For the stars help me, and the sea bears part; The very night is clinging Closer to Venice’ streets to leave one space Above me, whence thy face May light my joyous heart to thee its dwelling-place. _She speak... »
Cavalier Tunes Give A Rouse King Charles, and who’ll do him right now? King Charles, and who’s ripe for fight now? Give a rouse: here’s, in Hell’s despite now, King Charles! Who gave me the goods that went since? Who raised me the house that sank once? Who helped me to gold I... »
Memorabilia I. Ah, did you once see Shelley plain, And did he stop and speak to you And did you speak to him again? How strange it seems and new! II. But you were living before that, And also you are living after; And the memory I started at— My starting moves your laughter. III. I crossed a m... »
The Confessional I. It is a lie—their Priests, their Pope, Their Saints, their … all they fear or hope Are lies, and lies—there! through my door And ceiling, there! and walls and floor, There, lies, they lie—shall still be hurled Till spite of them I reach the world! II. You ... »
A Face If one could have that little head of hers Painted upon a background of pure gold, Such as the Tuscan’s early art prefers! No shade encroaching on the matchless mould Of those two lips, which should be opening soft In the pure profile; not as when she laughs, For that spoils all: but ra... »
Herve Riel On the sea and at the Hogue, sixteen hundred ninety two, Did the English fight the French,–woe to France! And, the thirty-first of May, helter-skelter thro’ the blue. Like a crowd of frightened porpoises a shoal of sharks pursue, Came crowding ship on ship to St. Malo on the R... »
Any Wife To Any Husband My love, this is the bitterest, that thou— Who art all truth, and who dost love me now As thine eyes say, as thy voice breaks to say— Shouldst love so truly, and couldst love me still A whole long life through, had but love its will, Would death that leads me from... »
One Word More TO E.B.B. I There they are, my fifty men and women Naming me the fifty poems finished! Take them, Love, the book and me together; Where the heart lies, let the brain lie also. II Rafael made a century of sonnets, Made and wrote them in a certain volume Dinted with the silver-pointed pe... »
The Lost Leader I. Just for a handful of silver he left us, Just for a riband to stick in his coat— Found the one gift of which fortune bereft us, Lost all the others she lets us devote; They, with the gold to give, doled him out silver, So much was theirs who so little allowed: How all our co... »
Epilogue To Asolando At the midnight in the silence of the sleep-time, When you set your fancies free, Will they pass to where–by death, fools think, imprisoned– Low he lies who once so loved you, whom you loved so, –Pity me? Oh to love so, be so loved, yet so mistaken! What had I ... »
Last Ride Together, The I. I said—Then, dearest, since ’tis so, Since now at length my fate I know, Since nothing all my love avails, Since all, my life seemed meant for, fails, Since this was written and needs must be— My whole heart rises up to bless Your name in pride and thankf... »
Prospice Fear death?—to feel the fog in my throat, The mist in my face, When the snows begin, and the blasts denote I am nearing the place, The power of the night, the press of the storm, The post of the foe; Where he stands, the Arch Fear in a visible form; Yet the strong man must go: For the... »
Tray Sing me a hero! Quench my thirst Of soul, ye bards! Quoth Bard the first: ‘Sir Olaf, the good knight, did don His helm, and eke his habergeon …’ Sir Olaf and his bard——! ‘That sin-scathed brow’ (quoth Bard the second), ‘That eye wide ope as tho’ Fate be... »
Earth’s Immortalities FAME. See, as the prettiest graves will do in time, Our poet’s wants the freshness of its prime; Spite of the sexton’s browsing horse, the sods Have struggled through its binding osier rods; Headstone and half-sunk footstone lean awry, Wanting the brick-work p... »
Boy And The Angel, The Morning, evening, noon and night, “Praise God!; sang Theocrite. Then to his poor trade he turned, Whereby the daily meal was earned. Hard he laboured, long and well; O’er his work the boy’s curls fell. But ever, at each period, He stopped and sang, “Pra... »
My Last Duchess FERRARA. That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive. I call That piece a wonder, now: Fr Pandolf’s hands Worked busily a day, and there she stands. Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said “Fr Pandolf” by design, for ne... »
The Englishman In Italy PIANO DI SORRENTO Fort, Fort, my beloved one, Sit here by my side, On my knees put up both little feet! I was sure, if I tried, I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco. Now, open your eyes, Let me keep you amused till he vanish In black from the skies, With telling my memori... »
A Light Woman I. So far as our story approaches the end, Which do you pity the most of us three?— My friend, or the mistress of my friend With her wanton eyes, or me? II. My friend was already too good to lose, And seemed in the way of improvement yet, When she crossed his path with her huntin... »
Heretic’s Tragedy, The A MIDDLE-AGE INTERLUDE. ROSA MUNDI; SEU, FULCITE ME FLORIBUS. A CONCEIT OF MASTER GYSBRECHT, CANON-REGULAR OF SAID JODOCUS-BY-THE-BAR, YPRES CITY. CANTUQUE, _Virgilius._ AND HATH OFTEN BEEN SUNG AT HOCK-TIDE AND FESTIVALES. GAVISUS ERAM, _Jessides._ (It would seem to be ... »
Andrea Del Sarto But do not let us quarrel any more, No, my Lucrezia; bear with me for once: Sit down and all shall happen as you wish. You turn your face, but does it bring your heart? I’ll work then for your friend’s friend, never fear, Treat his own subject after his own way, Fix his ... »
Over The Sea Our Galleys Went Over the sea our galleys went, With cleaving prows in order brave, To a speeding wind and a bounding wave, A gallant armament: Each bark built out of a forest-tree, Left leafy and rough as first it grew, And nailed all over the gaping sides, Within and without, with bla... »
The Patriot AN OLD STORY. I. It was roses, roses, all the way, With myrtle mixed in my path like mad: The house-roofs seemed to heave and sway, The church-spires flamed, such flags they had, A year ago on this very day. II. The air broke into a mist with bells, The old walls rocked with the crowd an... »
Easter-Day HOW very hard it is to be A Christian! Hard for you and me, —Not the mere task of making real That duty up to its ideal, Effecting thus complete and whole, A purpose or the human soul— For that is always hard to do; But hard, I mean, for me and you To realise it, more or less, With even t... »
Life In A Bottle Escape me? Never– Beloved! While I am I, and you are you, So long as the world contains us both, Me the loving and you the loth, While the one eludes, must the other pursue. My life is a fault at last, I fear: It seems too much like a fate, indeed! Though I do my best I shall ... »
Rabbi Ben Ezra Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, The last of life, for which the first was made: Our times are in His hand Who saith ‘A whole I planned, Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!’ Not that, amassing flowers, Youth sighed ‘Which rose make ... »
Up At A Villa–Down In The City Had I but plenty of money, money enough and to spare, The house for me, no doubt, were a house in the city-square; Ah, such a life, such a life, as one leads at the window there! Something to see, by Bacchus, something to hear, at least! There, the whole day long... »
Count Gismond–Aix In Provence Christ God who savest man, save most Of men Count Gismond who saved me! Count Gauthier, when he chose his post, Chose time and place and company To suit it; when he struck at length My honour, ‘t was with all his strength. And doubtlessly, ere he could draw ... »