Look up, I am near thee, As a magnet's control on And absence but brightens The eyes that I miss, And custom but heightens The spell of thy kiss. It is not from duty, Though that may be owed, It is not from beauty, Though that be bestowed; But all that I care for, Is that, without wherefore, Through granite it breaketh The grief of the day, My soul in its fever O dream to the griever. A twofold existence I am where thou art; Hark, hear in the distance The beat of my heart! Edward Robert Bulwer Lytton [1831-1891] Song SONG From "The Earthly Paradise" FAIR is the night, and fair the day, Now into June May falls away: Fair day! fair night! O give me back Blow back, O wind! thou art not kind, Thou know'st her not, O rustling tree! Flow on, great river! thou mayst deem And Thou that men call by my name! Grow weak and pine, lie down to die, 957 Because short time and sweet goes by. O foolish heart! how weak thou art: Break, break, because thou needs must part From thine own Love, from thine own Sweet! William Morris [1834-1896] AT PARTING FOR a day and a night Love sang to us, played with us, Folded us round from the dark and the light; And our hearts were fulfilled of the music he made with us, Made with our hearts and our lips while he stayed with us, Stayed in mid passage his pinions from flight For a day and a night. From his foes that kept watch with his wings had he hidden us, Covered us close from the eyes that would smite, From the feet that had tracked and the tongues that had chidden us Sheltering in shade of the myrtles forbidden us Spirit and flesh growing one with delight For a day and a night. But his wings will not rest and his feet will not stay for us: Morning is here in the joy of its might; With his breath has he sweetened a night and a day for us: Now let him pass, and the myrtles make way for us; Love can but last in us here at his height For a day and a night. Algernon Charles Swinburne [1837-1909] "IF SHE BUT KNEW" IF she but knew that I am weeping Still for her sake, That love and sorrow grow with keeping My heart that breaking will adore her, Be hers and die; If she might hear me once implore her, Robin Adair If she but knew that it would save me Saying she pitied me, forgave me, If she were told that I was dying, Would she be dumb? Could she content herself with sighing? Would she not come? 959 Arthur O'Shaughnessy [1844-1881] KATHLEEN MAVOURNEEN KATHLEEN MAVOURNEEN! the gray dawn is breaking, The lark from her light wing the bright dew is shaking,— It may be for years, and it may be forever! Oh, why art thou silent, thou voice of my heart? Oh! why art thou silent, Kathleen Mavourneen? Kathleen Mavourneen, awake from thy slumbers! The blue mountains glow in the sun's golden light; Ah, where is the spell that once hung on my numbers? Arise in thy beauty, thou star of my night! Mavourneen, Mavourneen, my sad tears are falling, To think that from Erin and thee I must part! It may be for years, and it may be forever! Then why art thou silent, thou voice of my heart? Then why art thou silent, Kathleen Mavourneen? Louisa Macartney Crawford [18 ROBIN ADAIR WHAT'S this dull town to me? Robin's not near, He whom I wished to see, Wished for to hear; Where's all the joy and mirth What made the assembly shine? Robin Adair: What made the ball so fine? Robin was there: What, when the play was o'er, But now thou art far from me, Robin Adair; But now I never see Robin Adair; Yet him I loved so well Still in my heart shall dwell; O, I can ne'er forget Robin Adair! Welcome on shore again, Robin Adair! Welcome once more again, I feel thy trembling hand; Robin Adair! Long I ne'er saw thee, love, Robin Adair; Still I prayed for thee, love, Robin Adair; When thou wert far at sea, Many made love to me, Robin Adair! |