A LAY OF THE EARLY ROSE.
263
"And every moth and bee,
Approach me reverently;
Wheeling o'er me, wheeling o'er me,
Coronals of motioned glory.
Approach me reverently;
Wheeling o'er me, wheeling o'er me,
Coronals of motioned glory.
"Three larks shall leave a cloud;
To my whiter beauty vowed—
Singing gladly all the moontide,—
Never waiting for the suntide.
To my whiter beauty vowed—
Singing gladly all the moontide,—
Never waiting for the suntide.
"Ten nightingales shall flee
Their woods for love of me,—
Singing sadly all the suntide,
Never waiting for the moontide.
Their woods for love of me,—
Singing sadly all the suntide,
Never waiting for the moontide.
"I ween the very skies
Will look down with surprise,
When low on earth they see me,
With my starry aspect dreamy!
Will look down with surprise,
When low on earth they see me,
With my starry aspect dreamy!
"And earth will call her flowers
To hasten out of doors,—
By their curtsies and sweet-smelling,
To give grace to my foretelling."
To hasten out of doors,—
By their curtsies and sweet-smelling,
To give grace to my foretelling."
So praying, did she win
South winds to let her in,
In her loneness, in her loneness,
And the fairer for that oneness.
South winds to let her in,
In her loneness, in her loneness,
And the fairer for that oneness.
But ah!—alas for her!
No thing did minister
To her praises, to her praises,
More than might unto a daisy's.
No thing did minister
To her praises, to her praises,
More than might unto a daisy's.
No tree nor bush was seen
To boast a perfect green;
Scarcely having, scarcely having,
One leaf broad enough for waving.
To boast a perfect green;
Scarcely having, scarcely having,
One leaf broad enough for waving.
