Page:The complete poetical works of Percy Bysshe Shelley, including materials never before printed in any edition of the poems.djvu/403

xxx

Within the which she lay when the fierce war

Of wintry winds shook that innocuous liquor
In many a mimic moon and bearded star
O'er woods and lawns;—the serpent heard it flicker
In sleep, and dreaming still, he crept afar—285
And when the windless snow descended thicker
Than autumn leaves, she watched it as it came
Melt on the surface of the level flame.

xxxi

She had a boat, which some say Vulcan wrought

For Venus, as the chariot of her star;290
But it was found too feeble to be fraught
With all the ardours in that sphere which are,
And so she sold it, and Apollo bought
And gave it to this daughter: from a car
Changed to the fairest and the lightest boat295
Which ever upon mortal stream did float.

xxxii

And others say, that, when but three hours old,

The first-born Love out of his cradle lept.
And clove dun Chaos with his wings of gold,
And like a horticultural adept,300
Stole a strange seed, and wrapped it up in mould,
And sowed it in his mother's star, and kept
Watering it all the summer with sweet dew,
And with his wings fanning it as it grew.

xxxiii

The plant grew strong and green, the snowy flower 305

Fell, and the long and gourd-like fruit began
To turn the light and dew by inward power
To its own substance; woven tracery ran
Of light firm texture, ribbed and branching, o'er
The solid rind, like a leaf's veined fan—310
Of which Love scooped this boat—and with soft motion
Piloted it round the circumfluous ocean.

xxxiv

This boat she moored upon her fount, and lit

A living spirit within all its frame,
Breathing the soul of swiftness into it.315
Couched on the fountain like a panther tame,
One of the twain at Evan's feet that sit—
Or as on Vesta's sceptre a swift flame—
Or on blind Homer's heart a winged thought,—
In joyous expectation lay the boat. 320

xxxv

Then by strange art she kneaded fire and snow

Together, tempering the repugnant mass
With liquid love—all things together grow
Through which the harmony of love can pass;