CALAIS SANDS A THOUSAND knights have rein'd their steeds To Calais glittering in the sun; To look tow'rd Ardres' Golden Field Oh, that to share this famous scene, Thy lovely presence at my side, Thy shawl, thy look, thy smile, thy hand! How exquisite thy voice would come, How sweetly would the fresh sea-breeze Yet now my glance but once hath roved Thou comest! Yes! the vessel's cloud I must not spring to grasp thy hand, And watch thee pass unconscious by, And spell thy looks, and guess thy thoughts, To-morrow hurry through the fields, SWITZERLAND I. MEETING AGAIN I see my bliss at hand, I know that graceful figure fair, I know that soft, enkerchief'd hair, Again I spring to make my choice; I hear a God's tremendous voice: Ye guiding Powers who join and part, Ah, warn some more ambitious heart, 2. PARTING YE storm-winds of Autumn! Ye are bound for the mountains! Ah! with you let me go Where your cold, distant barrier, The vast range of snow, Through the loose clouds lifts dimly Its white peaks in air — How deep is their stillness! Ah, would I were there! But on the stairs what voice is this I hear, Buoyant as morning, and as morning clear? Say, has some wet bird-haunted English lawn Or was it from some sun-fleck'd mountain-brook Sweet notes, this way! Hark! fast by the window There the torrents drive upward I come, O ye mountains! But who is this, by the half-open'd door, Hark! the wind rushes past us! Ah! with that let me go To the clear, waning hill-side, Unspotted by snow, There to watch, o'er the sunk vale, The frore mountain-wall, Where the niched snow-bed sprays down Its powdery fall. There its dusky blue clusters The aconite spreads; There the pines slope, the cloud-strips Hung soft in their heads. No life but, at moments, *395 Forgive me! forgive me! Would these arms reach to clasp thee! In the void air, towards thee, To the lips, ah! of others And others, ere I was, Were strain'd to that breast; Far, far from each other Our spirits have grown; And what heart knows another? Blow, ye winds! lift me with you! Fold closely, O Nature! Thine arms round thy child. To thee only God granted A heart ever new To all always open, Ah! calm me, restore me; Where the white mists, for ever, 3. A FAREWELL My horse's feet beside the lake, Where sweet the unbroken moonbeams lay, Sent echoes through the night to wake Each glistening strand, each heath-fringed bay. The poplar avenue was pass'd And the roof'd bridge that spans the stream ; I came! I saw thee rise ! - the blood Days flew; ah, soon I could discern A trouble in thine alter'd air! Thy hand lay languidly in mine, Thy cheek was grave, thy speech grew rare. - I blame thee not!- this heart, I know, And women — things that live and move They ask not kindness, gentle ways - I too have felt the load I bore I too have long'd for trenchant force, Have praised the keen, unscrupulous course, But in the world I learnt, what there |