Part 11

Richer for that glance unconscious! Dearer for that soft dismay! And the sudden self-possession! And the smile as bright as day!

Plunging ’mid her scattered tresses, With her blue invoking eyes; See her like a star descending! Like a rosebud see her rise!

Like a rosebud in the morning Dashing off its jewell’d dews, Ere unfolding all its fragrance It is gathered by the muse!

Beauteous in the foamy laughter Bubbling round her shrinking waist, Lo! from locks and lips and eyelids Rain the glittering pearl-drops chaste!

And about the maiden rapture Still the ruddy ripples play’d, Ebbing round in startled circlets When her arms began to wade;

Flowing in like tides attracted To the glowing crescent shine! Clasping her ambrosial whiteness Like an Autumn-tinted vine!

Sinking low with love’s emotion! Levying with look and tone All love’s rosy arts to mimic Cytherea’s magic zone!

Trembling up with adoration To the crimson daisy tip Budding from the snowy bosom— Fainter than the rose-red lip!

Rising in a storm of wavelets, That for shelter, feigning fright, Prest to those twin-heaving havens, Harbour’d there beneath her light;

Gleaming in a whirl of eddies Round her lucid throat and neck; Eddying in a gleam of dimples Up against her bloomy cheek;

Bribing all the breezy water With rich warmth, the nymph to keep In a self-imprison’d plaisance, Tempting her from deep to deep.

Till at last delirious passion Thrill’d the god to wild excess, And the fervour of a moment Made divinity confess;

And he stood in all his glory! But so radiant, being near, That her eyes were frozen on him In a fascinated fear!

All with orient splendour shining, All with roseate birth aglow, Gleam’d the golden god before her, With his golden crescent bow.

Soon the dazzled light subsided, And he seem’d a beauteous youth, Form’d to gain the maiden’s murmurs, And to pledge the vows of truth.

Ah! that thus he had continued! O, that such for her had been! Graceful with all godlike beauty, But so humanly serene!

Cheeks, and mouth, and mellow ringlets, Bounteous as the mid-day beam; Pleading looks and wistful tremour, Tender as a maiden’s dream!

Palms that like a bird’s throbb’d bosom Palpitate with eagerness, Lips, the bridals of the roses, Dewy sweet from the caress!

Lips and limbs, and eyes and ringlets, Swaying, praying to one prayer, Like a lyre, swept by a spirit, In the still, enraptur’d air.

Like a lyre in some far valley, Uttering ravishments divine! All its strings to viewless fingers Yearning, modulations fine!

Yearning with melodious fervour! Like a beauteous maiden flower, When the young beloved three paces Hovers from the bridal bower.

Throbbing thro’ the dawning stillness! As a heart within a breast, When the young beloved is stepping Radiant to the nuptial nest.

O for Daphne! gentle Daphne Ever warmer by degrees Whispers full of hopes and visions Throng her ears like honey bees!

Never yet was lonely blossom Woo’d with such delicious voice! Never since hath mortal maiden Dwelt on such celestial choice!

Love-suffused she quivers, falters— Falters, sighs, but never speaks, All her rosy blood up-gushing Overflows her ripe young cheeks.

Blushing, sweet with virgin blushes, All her loveliness a-flame, Stands she in the orient waters, Stricken o’er with speechless shame!

Ah! but lovelier, ever lovelier, As more deep the colour glows, And the honey-laden lily Changes to the fragrant rose.

While the god with meek embraces, Whispering all his sacred charms, Softly folds her, gently holds her, In his white encircling arms!