Breathing perfumes west and south; And a sword of flashing lilies, Holden ready for the fight: And a breastplate made of daisies, Drawn for belt about the waist; And who knows (I sometimes wondered) If the disembodied soul Of old Hector, once of Troy, Rolling this way from Troy-ruin, They, with tender roots, renewing. Who could know? I sometimes started Did his mouth speak-naming Troy Did the pulse of the Strong-hearted It was hard to answer, often : Through the courage of their glee Oh, the birds, the tree, the ruddy And I see them stir again. And despite life's changes, chances, As the birds sang in the branches, Sing God's patience through my soul ! That no dreamer, no neglecter Of the present's work unsped, I may wake up and be doing, Life's heroic ends pursuing, Though my past is dead as Hector, THE ROMANCE OF THE SWAN'S NEST. LITTLE Ellie sits alone 'Mid the beeches of a meadow By a stream-side on the grass, And the trees are showering down She has thrown her bonnet by, In her hands, all sleek and dripping, Little Ellie sits alone, And the smile she softly uses Fills the silence like a speech, While she thinks what shall be done, And the sweetest pleasure chooses For her future within reach. Little Ellie in her smile Chooses "I will have a lover, Riding on a steed of steeds: He shall love me without guile, And to him I will discover The swan's nest among the reeds. "And the steed shall be red-roan, And the lover shall be noble, With an eye that takes the breath : Shall strike ladies into trouble, As his sword strikes men to death. "And the steed it shall be shod All in silver, housed in azure, And the mane shall swim the wind, And the hoofs along the sod Shall flash onward and keep measure, Till the shepherds look behind. "But my lover will not prize All the glory that he rides in, When he gazes in my face: He will say, 'O Love, thine eyes -Build the shrine my soul abides in, And I kneel here for thy grace !' "Then, ay, then he shall kneel low, For the world must love and fear him "Then he will arise so pale, "Then he 'll ride among the hills "Three times shall a young foot-page Swim the stream and climb the mountain And kneel down beside my feet'Lo, my master sends this gage, Lady, for thy pity's counting! What wilt thou exchange for it?' "And the first time, I will send "Then the young foot-page will run, Then my lover will ride faster, . Till he kneeleth at my knee : "He will kiss me on the mouth Then, and lead me as a lover Through the crowds that praise his deeds : And, when soul-tied by one troth, Unto him I will discover That swan's nest among the reeds." Little Ellie, with her smile Not yet ended, rose up gaily, Tied the bonnet, donned the shoe, Just to see, as she did daily, What more eggs were with the two. Pushing through the elm-tree copse, Winding up the stream, light-hearted, Where the osier pathway leads, Past the boughs she stoops—and stops. Lo, the wild swan had deserted, And a rat had gnawed the reeds! Ellie went home sad and slow. If she found the lover ever, With his red-roan steed of steeds, |