The Gipsy Girl.
Gentle page, pause thee now,
Lay down the lyre;
Raise to this care-fraught brow
Thine eyes of fire.
Strange is the spell that lies
In this dark glow,
Fraught with soul sympathies
For this heart's woe.
Lay down the lyre;
Raise to this care-fraught brow
Thine eyes of fire.
Strange is the spell that lies
In this dark glow,
Fraught with soul sympathies
For this heart's woe.
Oft have I noticed them
Mournfully rest
On pearl and costly gem,
Beading my vest;
On jewell'd tiara bright,
Circling my hair,
O'er this face now so white—
White with heart's care.
Mournfully rest
On pearl and costly gem,
Beading my vest;
On jewell'd tiara bright,
Circling my hair,
O'er this face now so white—
White with heart's care.
E'en when these halls ring back
Revelry's sounds,
Memory reveals a track
O'er other grounds;
Then might you see my lip
Wreath'd with a smile,
For old companionship
Is mine the while:
Revelry's sounds,
Memory reveals a track
O'er other grounds;
Then might you see my lip
Wreath'd with a smile,
For old companionship
Is mine the while:
"List to me, boy: not where,
Formal and proud,
Breathing the pent-up air—
House-dwellers crowd
Was my young life confin'd,
Sped childhood's hours!
No; all was free as wind,
Gay as the flowers.
Formal and proud,
Breathing the pent-up air—
House-dwellers crowd
Was my young life confin'd,
Sped childhood's hours!
No; all was free as wind,
Gay as the flowers.
"In glen and valley's heart,
By the bright floods,
From the world's busy mart
Far in the woods,
Dwelt I with wandering ones—
Glad eyed and dark,
Agile as forest fawns,
Gay as the lark.
By the bright floods,
From the world's busy mart
Far in the woods,
Dwelt I with wandering ones—
Glad eyed and dark,
Agile as forest fawns,
Gay as the lark.
"The ceiling above us there
Arched not saloons;
The tapestries round us were
Leafy festoons.
The carpets on which we trod
Pampered not pride;
It was the enamell'd sod,
Verdant and wide.
Arched not saloons;
The tapestries round us were
Leafy festoons.
The carpets on which we trod
Pampered not pride;
It was the enamell'd sod,
Verdant and wide.
"While the dreams hovered still
O'er waking flowers,
To range the wild wood and hill
Freely was ours;
Ours—for, ah! never
Roamed I forth alone,
One playmate's arm ever
Around me was thrown.
O'er waking flowers,
To range the wild wood and hill
Freely was ours;
Ours—for, ah! never
Roamed I forth alone,
One playmate's arm ever
Around me was thrown.
"Childhood's morn pass'd away,
Life's early days,
Then more of ardency
Grew in his gaze;
And more of tenderness
In his tone dwelt;
Oh! the pure happiness
Either heart felt.
Life's early days,
Then more of ardency
Grew in his gaze;
And more of tenderness
In his tone dwelt;
Oh! the pure happiness
Either heart felt.
"Merry sounds eross'd the meads
One sunny morn;
Trampling of many steeds,
Peals of a horn.
Then a gay hunting throng
Swept within sight,
Chargers bore proud along
Lady and Knight.
One sunny morn;
Trampling of many steeds,
Peals of a horn.
Then a gay hunting throng
Swept within sight,
Chargers bore proud along
Lady and Knight.
"Out sprang we hand in hand
In our heart's glee:
Eyes from amidst the band
Rested on me.
Then o'er me bent a face
Haughty and wild;
I swooned in the close embrace
Sire gave to child.
In our heart's glee:
Eyes from amidst the band
Rested on me.
Then o'er me bent a face
Haughty and wild;
I swooned in the close embrace
Sire gave to child.
"Yes, boy, the proofs were brought
Of my high birth;
Baby robes richly wrought
Jewels of worth.
Now the halls of an earl,
"Mongst noble kin,
Closes the gipsy girl
Ever within:
Of my high birth;
Baby robes richly wrought
Jewels of worth.
Now the halls of an earl,
"Mongst noble kin,
Closes the gipsy girl
Ever within:
"In from the valleys free
From the fresh breeze,
Dreamy hum of the bee,
'Neath the broad trees;
Murmuring of joyous streams
Dancing along,
Dewy meads, early beams,
And the lark's song.
From the fresh breeze,
Dreamy hum of the bee,
'Neath the broad trees;
Murmuring of joyous streams
Dancing along,
Dewy meads, early beams,
And the lark's song.
"Fond words which lips of art
Mock to express;
And the warm, heart to heart,
Love-fraught caress.
Ah! to be jewell'd, garbed,
Pining for rest;
Discontent, like the barbed
Steel in my breast."
Mock to express;
And the warm, heart to heart,
Love-fraught caress.
Ah! to be jewell'd, garbed,
Pining for rest;
Discontent, like the barbed
Steel in my breast."
Smiling, the page arose,
Eyes beaming bright;
Down at her feet he throws
Tresses of light.
Clustering his head around,
Jetty curls lie;
And his brow, sun embrowned 's
Reft of its dye.
Eyes beaming bright;
Down at her feet he throws
Tresses of light.
Clustering his head around,
Jetty curls lie;
And his brow, sun embrowned 's
Reft of its dye.
Emotions came o'er her
'Which words cannot vent;
Her lover's before her—
Yes, he of the tent.
A whisper in Romany
On her ear falls;
And morn finds her far away
From her sire's halls.
'Which words cannot vent;
Her lover's before her—
Yes, he of the tent.
A whisper in Romany
On her ear falls;
And morn finds her far away
From her sire's halls.