Dame Helen caused a grievous fray, And put their hearts in woeful plight. For her no garlands will I twine; Though she be made of flowers and light, No lady is so fair as mine. L'ENVOI Prince Eros, Lord of lovely might, Who on Olympus doth recline, URSULA Joyce Kilmer [1886 I SEE her in the festal warmth to-night, To-morrow she will toil from floor to floor To stay the tears of widows, and to be . Confessor to men's erring hearts ah me! VILLANELLE OF HIS LADY'S TREASURES I TOOK her dainty eyes, as well As silken tendrils of her hair: And so I made a Villanelle! I took her voice, a silver bell, As clear as song, as soft as prayer; I took her dainty eyes as well. Song It may be, said I, who can tell, These things shall be my less despair? And so I made a Villanelle! I took her whiteness virginal And from her cheeks two roses rare; I took her dainty eyes as well. I said: "It may be possible Her image from my heart to tear!" And so I made a Villanelle! I stole her laugh, most musical: I wrought it in with artful care; I took her dainty eyes as well; And so I made a Villanelle. SONG 577. Ernest Dowson [1867-1900] LOVE, by that loosened hair Well now I know Where the lost Lilith went So long ago. Love, by those starry eyes I understand How the sea maidens lure Mortals from land. Love, by that welling laugh. Joy claims his own Sea-born and wind-wayward Child of the sun. Bliss Carman [1861 SONG O, LIKE a queen's her happy tread, Her woman's heart for me! We wandered where the river gleamed 'Neath oaks that mused and pines that dreamed, A wild thing of the woods she seemed, So proud, and pure, and free! All heaven drew nigh to hear her sing, The pines their reverie. And O, her happy, queenly tread, William Watson (1858 ANY LOVER, ANY LASS WHY are her eyes so bright, so bright, When I would love her soul? God set her brave eyes wide apart Her lips so tenderly are wrought In so divine a shape, That I am servant to my thought Her body is a flower, her hair Her little hands are soft, and when I know in very truth that men Have died for less than love. Songs Ascending Ah, dear, live, lovely thing! my eyes "Would she were not so fair!” Would I might forfeit ecstasy Nor find her eyes so bright, so bright, Dream after dream the lifelong night, When I would love her soul. 579 Richard Middleton [1882-1911] SONGS ASCENDING LOVE has been sung a thousand ways So let it be; The songs ascending in your praise Through all my days Are three. Your cloud-white body first I sing; Your love was heaven's blue, And I, a bird, flew carolling In ring on ring Of you. Your nearness is the second song; When God began to be, And bound you strongly, right or wrong, 580 SONG "OH! Love," they said, "is King of Kings, And Triumph is his crown. Earth fades in flame before his wings, And Sun and Moon bow down."- So whenever I meet a Queen, I said, I will not catch her eye. "Oh! Love," they said, and "Love," they said, "The gift of Love is this; A crown of thorns about thy head, And vinegar to thy kiss!" But Tragedy is not for me; And I'm content to be gay. So whenever I spied a Tragic Lady, And so I never feared to see You wander down the street, Or come across the fields to me For what they'd never told me of, And what I never knew; It was that all the time, my love, Love would be merely you. SONG Rupert Brooke [1887-1915] How do I love you? I do not know. Only because of you Gladly I go. Only because of you Labor is sweet, And all the song of you Sings in my feet. |