Classic Poem

H UGO waking in his chamber . O RION unseen at first. Morning. Hugo.

Vanish, fair and fatal vision!
 Fleeting shade of fever'd sleep,
Chiding one whose indecision
 Waking substance fail'd to keep;
Picture into life half starting,
 As in life once seen before,
Parting somewhat sadly, parting
 Slowly at the chamber door.

Were my waking senses duller?
 Have I seen with mental eye
Light and shade, and warmth and colour,
 Plainer than reality?
Sunlight that on tangled tresses
 Every ripple gilds and tips;
Balm and bloom, and breath of kisses,
 Warm on dewy, scarlet lips.

Dark eyes veiling half their splendour
 'Neath their lashes darker fringe,
Dusky, dreamy, deep and tender,
 Passing smile and passing tinge;
Dimpling fast and flushing faster,
 Ivory chin and coral cheek,
Pearly strings, by alabaster
 Neck and arms made faint and weak;

Drooping, downcast lids enduring
 Gaze of man unwillingly;
Sudden sidelong gleams alluring,
 Partly arch and partly shy.
Do I bless or curse that beauty?
 Am I longing, am I loth?
Is it passion, is it duty
 That I strive with, one or both?

Round about one fiery centre
 Wayward thoughts like moths revolve.

Ha! Orion, thou didst enter
 Unperceived. I pray thee solve
These two questions: Firstly, tell me
 Must I strive for wrong or right?
Secondly, what things befell me—
 Facts, or phantasies—last night? Orion:

First, your strife is all a sham, you
 Know as well as I which wins;
Second, waking sins will damn you,
 Never mind your sleeping sins;
Both your questions thus I answer,
 Listen, ere you seek or shun:
I at least am no romancer,
 What you long for may be won.
Turn again and travel Rhineward,
 Tread once more the flowery path. Hugo:

Aye, the flowery path that, sinward
 Pointing, ends in sin and wrath. Orion:

Songs by love-birds lightly caroll'd
 Even the just man may allure. Hugo:

To his shame: in this wise Harold
 Sinn'd, his punishment was sure. Orion:

Nay, the Dane was worse than you are,
 Base and pitiless to boot;
Doubtless all are bad, yet few are
 Cruel, false, and dissolute. Hugo:

Some sins foreign to our nature
 Seem; we take no credit when
We escape them. Orion:

Yet the creature,
 Sin-created, lives to sin. Hugo:

Be it so; come good, come evil,
 Ride we to the Rhine again! Orion (aside):

'Gainst the logic of the devil
 Human logic strives in vain.