When first, fair mistress, I did see your face,
I brought, but carried no eyes from the place:
And, since that time, god Cupid hath me led
In hope that once I shall enjoy your bed.
But I despair; for now, alas! I find,
Too late for me the blind does lead the blind.

Ingratitude! Great Sov'reign of the Earth,
From whom all Evil still derives its Birth;
Vast is thy Empire, boundless is thy Sway,
And unaslisted Nature must obey.
Frail are our Memories, except in ill
And for good Turns receiv'd, we want a Will:
What Enemies we have, on Brass we grave,
But write our Benefactors on a Wave.

If to her eyes' bright lustre I were blind,
No longer would they serve my life to gild.
The will of destiny must be fulfill'd,—
This knowing, I withdrew with sadden'd mind.

No further happiness I now could find;
The former longings of my heart were still'd;
I sought her looks alone, whereon to build
My joy in life,—all else was left behind.

Wine's genial glow, the festal banquet gay,
Ease, sleep, and friends, all wonted pleasures glad
I spurn'd, till little there remain'd to prove.

Now calmly through the world I wend my way:

“So careful of the Type she seems;”
She mends what Man so foully makes:
Searching for five minute misprints
In a forest of mistakes.

If I (in form) dictated this
You will agree, at any rate,
Some things are here which you believe
And I did not dictate.

As you were better than a friend
In more than friendship we agree—
Friendship at best may be a bond:
And Truth has made us free.

Who enters by that Door alone,
However, dubious or afraid
For that one hour is that one Mind
For which the world was made . . .

Farewell, sweet bird, so winsome and so wise!
Though the blue heavens were native to thy flight,
My desk and papers seem'd thy prime delight,
Those odes, and epics, and anthologies!
Methinks, thou wert so fond of ancient lore,
A classic welcome in the shades below
Awaits thee, now thy learned life is o'er:
To fair Elysian meadows thou shalt go,
A happy region, void of rain and storm;
But when the Stygian boatman chirps to thee
Thy wings expand, thy buoyant heart rebels:
High over Styx I see thy twinkling form;
I hear old Charon shouting for his fee,

Time flows with the river
Why does it never return?
Do you dislike this world?
Or did someone drive you away?
I try to stop you
But you pass through me without a trace
and are gone
Why?
My days drip in your heart
When will you return them to me?

Along that gloomy river's brim,
Where Charon plies the ceaseless oar,
Two mighty Shadows, dusk and dim,
Stood lingering on the dismal shore.
Hoarse came the rugged Boatman's call,
While echoing caves enforced the cry—
And as they severed life's last thrall,
Each Spirit spoke one parting sigh.
“Farewell to earth! I leave a name,
Written in fire, on field and flood—

Wide as the wind, the voice of fame,
Hath borne my fearful tale of blood.
And though across this leaden wave,
Returnless now my spirit haste,

I want no moon beguiling,
No dark and bouldered shore,
When I see Emma smiling
And twirling through the door!

T HERE'S nothing that the world calls fame,
There's no reward or prize,
That can be gain'd like what is rain'd
From lovely woman's eyes.
The snob may cry, “Oh, fie! Oh, fie!”
And threaten hard to stone us:
“A fig!” we cry, while Jeanie's eye
Is raining blessings on us.

Ambition strong doth prompt man on,
But woman's nobler far:
She's prompted on by Love alone,
Her spirit's guiding star.
How oft our hearts would fail within,
When hard the path of duty,
But 'mid the din we're roused to win
The smiles of Love and Beauty.

Ring the bells, nor ring them slowly;
Toll them not,—the day is holy!
Golden-flooded noon is poured
In grand libation to the Lord.

No mourning mothers come to-day
Whose hopeless eyes forget to pray;
They each hold high the o'erflowing urn,
And bravely to God's altar turn.

Ye limners of the ancient saint!
To-day another virgin paint;
Where with the lily once she stood
Show now the new beatitude.

To-day a mother crowned with pain,
Of silver beauty beyond stain,
Clasping a flower for our land,
A sheathëd lily in her hand.