Poems — Volume 2

Part 1

Transcribed from the 1912 Times Book Club “Surrey” edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org

POEMS VOL. II

BY GEORGE MEREDITH

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SURREY EDITION

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LONDON THE TIMES BOOK CLUB 376–384 OXFORD STREET, W. 1912

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Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable, Printers to his Majesty

CONTENTS

PAGE TO J. M., 1

Let Fate or Insufficiency provide LINES TO A FRIEND VISITING AMERICA, 2

Now farewell to you! you are TIME AND SENTIMENT, 11

I see a fair young couple in a wood, LUCIFER IN STARLIGHT, 12

On a starred night Prince Lucifer uprose THE STAR SIRIUS, 12

Bright Sirius! that when Orion pales SENSE AND SPIRIT, 13

The senses loving Earth or well or ill EARTH’S SECRET, 13

Not solitarily in fields we find INTERNAL HARMONY, 14

Assured of worthiness we do not dread GRACE AND LOVE, 14

Two flower-enfolding crystal vases she APPRECIATION, 15

Earth was not Earth before her sons appeared, THE DISCIPLINE OF WISDOM, 15

Rich labour is the struggle to be wise THE STATE OF AGE, 16

Rub thou thy battered lamp: nor claim nor beg PROGRESS, 16

In Progress you have little faith, say you: THE WORLD’S ADVANCE, 17

Judge mildly the tasked world; and disincline A CERTAIN PEOPLE, 17

As Puritans they prominently wax, THE GARDEN OF EPICURUS, 18

That Garden of sedate Philosophy A LATER ALEXANDRIAN, 18

An inspiration caught from dubious hues AN ORSON OF THE MUSE, 19

Part 2

Her son, albeit the Muse’s livery THE POINT OF TASTE, 19

Unhappy poets of a sunken prime! CAMELUS SALTAT, 20

What say you, critic, now you have become CONTINUED, 20

Oracle of the market! thence you drew MY THEME, 21

Of me and of my theme think what thou wilt: CONTINUED, 21

’Tis true the wisdom that my mind exacts ON THE DANGER OF WAR, 22

Avert, High Wisdom, never vainly wooed, TO CARDINAL MANNING, 23

I, wakeful for the skylark voice in men, TO COLONEL CHARLES, 24

An English heart, my commandant, TO CHILDREN: FOR TYRANTS, 27

Strike not thy dog with a stick! Poems and Lyrics of the Joy of Earth THE WOODS OF WESTERMAIN, 33

Enter these enchanted woods, A BALLAD OF PAST MERIDIAN, 48

Last night returning from my twilight walk THE DAY OF THE DAUGHTER OF HADES, 49

He who has looked upon Earth THE LARK ASCENDING, 67

He rises and begins to round, PHOEBUS WITH ADMETUS, 71

When by Zeus relenting the mandate was revoked, MELAMPUS, 75

With love exceeding a simple love of the things LOVE IN THE VALLEY, 80

Under yonder beech-tree single on the greensward, THE THREE SINGERS TO YOUNG BLOOD, 88

Carols nature, counsel men, THE ORCHARD AND THE HEATH, 90

I chanced upon an early walk to spy EARTH AND MAN, 92

On her great venture, Man, A BALLAD OF FAIR LADIES IN REVOLT, 100

See the sweet women, friend, that lean beneath Ballads and poems of Tragic Life THE TWO MASKS, 115

Melpomene among her livid people, ARCHDUCHESS ANNE, 116 I. In middle age an evil thing II. Archduchess Anne sat carved in frost III. Old Kraken read a missive penned THE SONG OF THEODOLINDA, 133

Queen Theodolind has built A PREACHING FROM A SPANISH BALLAD, 139

Ladies who in chains of wedlock THE YOUNG PRINCESS, 144 I. When the South sang like a nightingale II. The lords of the Court they sighed heart-sick, III. Lord Dusiote sprang from priest and squire; IV. The soft night-wind went laden to death KING HARALD’S TRANCE, 154

Sword in length a reaping-hook amain WHIMPER OF SYMPATHY, 158

Hawk or shrike has done this deed YOUNG REYNARD, 159

Gracefullest leaper, the dappled fox-cub MANFRED, 160

Projected from the bilious Childe, HERNANI, 161

Part 3

Cistercians might crack their sides THE NUPTIALS OF ATTILA, 162

Flat as to an eagle’s eye, ANEURIN’S HARP, 180

Prince of Bards was old Aneurin; MEN AND MAN, 186

Men the Angels eyed; THE LAST CONTENTION, 187

Young captain of a crazy bark! PERIANDER, 190

How died Melissa none dares shape in words. SOLON, 195

The Tyrant passed, and friendlier was his eye BELLEROPHON, 197

Maimed, beggared, grey; seeking an alms; with nod PHAÉTHÔN, 200

At the coming up of Phoebus the all-luminous charioteer, A Reading of Earth SEED-TIME, 209

Flowers of the willow-herb are wool; HARD WEATHER, 211

Bursts from a rending East in flaws THE SOUTH-WESTER, 215

Day of the cloud in fleets! O day THE THRUSH IN FEBRUARY, 220

I know him, February’s thrush, THE APPEASEMENT OF DEMETER, 226

Demeter devastated our good land, EARTH AND A WEDDED WOMAN, 231

The shepherd, with his eye on hazy South, MOTHER TO BABE, 234

Fleck of sky you are, WOODLAND PEACE, 235

Sweet as Eden is the air, THE QUESTION WHITHER, 236

When we have thrown off this old suit, OUTER AND INNER, 237

From twig to twig the spider weaves NATURE AND LIFE, 239

Leave the uproar: at a leap DIRGE IN WOODS, 240

A wind sways the pines, A FAITH ON TRIAL, 241

On the morning of May, CHANGE IN RECURRENCE, 260

I stood at the gate of the cot HYMN TO COLOUR, 261

With Life and Death I walked when Love appeared, MEDITATION UNDER STARS, 265

What links are ours with orbs that are WOODMAN AND ECHO, 268

Close Echo hears the woodman’s axe, THE WISDOM OF ELD, 270

We spend our lives in learning pilotage, EARTH’S PREFERENCE, 270

Earth loves her young: a preference manifest: SOCIETY, 271

Part 4

Historic be the survey of our kind, WINTER HEAVENS, 271

Sharp is the night, but stars with frost alive NOTES 272

TO J. M.

LET Fate or Insufficiency provide Mean ends for men who what they are would be: Penned in their narrow day no change they see Save one which strikes the blow to brutes and pride. Our faith is ours and comes not on a tide: And whether Earth’s great offspring, by decree, Must rot if they abjure rapacity, Not argument but effort shall decide. They number many heads in that hard flock: Trim swordsmen they push forth: yet try thy steel. Thou, fighting for poor humankind, wilt feel The strength of Roland in thy wrist to hew A chasm sheer into the barrier rock, And bring the army of the faithful through.

LINES TO A FRIEND VISITING AMERICA

NOW farewell to you! you are One of my dearest, whom I trust: Now follow you the Western star, And cast the old world off as dust.

From many friends adieu! adieu! The quick heart of the word therein. Much that we hope for hangs with you: We lose you, but we lose to win.

III

The beggar-king, November, frets: His tatters rich with Indian dyes Goes hugging: we our season’s debts Pay calmly, of the Spring forewise.

We send our worthiest; can no less, If we would now be read aright,— To that great people who may bless Or curse mankind: they have the might.

The proudest seasons find their graves, And we, who would not be wooed, must court. We have let the blunderers and the waves Divide us, and the devil had sport.

The blunderers and the waves no more Shall sever kindred sending forth Their worthiest from shore to shore For welcome, bent to prove their worth.

VII

Go you and such as you afloat, Our lost kinsfellowship to revive. The battle of the antidote Is tough, though silent: may you thrive!

VIII

I, when in this North wind I see The straining red woods blown awry, Feel shuddering like the winter tree, All vein and artery on cold sky.

The leaf that clothed me is torn away; My friend is as a flying seed. Ay, true; to bring replenished day Light ebbs, but I am bare, and bleed.

What husky habitations seem These comfortable sayings! they fell, In some rich year become a dream:— So cries my heart, the infidel! . . .

Oh! for the strenuous mind in quest, Arabian visions could not vie With those broad wonders of the West, And would I bid you stay? Not I!

XII

The strange experimental land Where men continually dare take Niagara leaps;—unshattered stand ’Twixt fall and fall;—for conscience’ sake,

XIII

Drive onward like a flood’s increase;— Fresh rapids and abysms engage;— (We live—we die) scorn fireside peace, And, as a garment, put on rage,

XIV

Rather than bear God’s reprimand, By rearing on a full fat soil Concrete of sin and sloth;—this land, You will observe it coil in coil.

The land has been discover’d long, The people we have yet to know; Themselves they know not, save that strong For good and evil still they grow.

XVI

Nor know they us. Yea, well enough In that inveterate machine Through which we speak the printed stuff Daily, with voice most hugeous, mien

Part 5

XVII

Tremendous:—as a lion’s show The grand menagerie paintings hide: Hear the drum beat, the trombones blow! The poor old Lion lies inside! . . .

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