THE ARROW AND THE SONG. 135 The horologe of Eternity Sayeth this incessantly, "Forever-never! Never-forever!" THE ARROW AND THE SONG. I SHOT an arrow into the air, I breathed a song into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For who has sight so keen and strong, That it can follow the flight of song? Long, long afterward, in an oak I found the arrow, still unbroke; THOU Comest, Autumn, heralded by the rain, THE EVENING STAR. 137 Thou standest, like imperial Charlemagne, THE EVENING STAR. Lo! in the painted oriel of the West, Of all her radiant garments, and reclines Behind the sombre screen of yonder pines, With slumber and soft dreams of love oppressed. O my beloved, my sweet Hesperus! My morning and my evening star of love! My best and gentlest lady! even thus, As that fair planet in the sky above, And from thy darkened window fades the light. DANTE. TUSCAN, that wanderest through the realms of gloom, With thoughtful pace, and sad, majestic eyes, Stern thoughts and awful from thy soul arise, Thy sacred song is like the trump of doom; As up the convent walls, in golden streaks, DANTE: FROM THE FRESCO BY GIOTTO |