264
A LAY OF THE EARLY ROSE.
The little flies did crawl
Along the southern wall,—
Faintly shifting, faintly shifting
Wings scarce strong enough for lifting.
Along the southern wall,—
Faintly shifting, faintly shifting
Wings scarce strong enough for lifting.
The lark, too high or low,
I ween, did miss her so;
With his nest down in the gorses,
And his song in the star-courses!
I ween, did miss her so;
With his nest down in the gorses,
And his song in the star-courses!
The nightingale did please
To loiter beyond seas.
Guess him in the happy islands,
Learning music from the silence!
To loiter beyond seas.
Guess him in the happy islands,
Learning music from the silence!
Only the bee, forsooth,
Came in the place of both;
Doing honour, doing honour,
To the honey-dews upon her.
Came in the place of both;
Doing honour, doing honour,
To the honey-dews upon her.
The skies looked coldly down,
As on a royal crown;
Then with drop for drop, at leisure,
They began to rain for pleasure.
As on a royal crown;
Then with drop for drop, at leisure,
They began to rain for pleasure.
Whereat the earth did seem
To waken from a dream,
Winter-frozen, winter-frozen,
Her unquiet eyes unclosing—
To waken from a dream,
Winter-frozen, winter-frozen,
Her unquiet eyes unclosing—
Said to the Rose—"Ha, Snow!
And art thou fallen so?
Thou, who wert enthroned stately
All along my mountains, lately?
And art thou fallen so?
Thou, who wert enthroned stately
All along my mountains, lately?
"Holla, thou world-wide snow!
And art thou wasted so?
With a little bough to catch thee,
And a little bee to watch thee?"
And art thou wasted so?
With a little bough to catch thee,
And a little bee to watch thee?"
