A STATUE.
Dream divine and tender,
Frozen into stone;
Pall nor purple splendor
Round thy grace is thrown;
Thou standest like a star, clothed in thy light alone.
Frozen into stone;
Pall nor purple splendor
Round thy grace is thrown;
Thou standest like a star, clothed in thy light alone.
Silent with the passion
Of thy new despair;
In the spotless fashion
That all angels wear;
Like softly falling snow thy presence fills the air.
Of thy new despair;
In the spotless fashion
That all angels wear;
Like softly falling snow thy presence fills the air.
On thy lips half-parted,
Sleeps a dreaming sigh;
Love and hope departed
Droop' thy pensive eye;
And anguish on thy brow hath set her majesty.
Sleeps a dreaming sigh;
Love and hope departed
Droop' thy pensive eye;
And anguish on thy brow hath set her majesty.
Neither shame nor madness
Touch thy spirit pure;
Regally hath sadness
Taught thee to endure;
Earth passes at thy feet, but heaven is ever sure.
Touch thy spirit pure;
Regally hath sadness
Taught thee to endure;
Earth passes at thy feet, but heaven is ever sure.
Like the languid tolling
Of a funeral bell,
Or the awful rolling
Of the ocean's swell,
Thou stillest sound with awe, through power's sublimest spell.
Of a funeral bell,
Or the awful rolling
Of the ocean's swell,
Thou stillest sound with awe, through power's sublimest spell.
In what holy vision
Of a midnight moon,
Did thy shape Elysian
Rise, like some sad tune,
Through the rapt sculptor's soul, and turn his night to noon?
Of a midnight moon,
Did thy shape Elysian
Rise, like some sad tune,
Through the rapt sculptor's soul, and turn his night to noon?
Utter thus forever,
With resistless tongue,
Higher thought than ever
Bird or breeze hath sung;
For Beauty never dies, and Grace is ever young.
With resistless tongue,
Higher thought than ever
Bird or breeze hath sung;
For Beauty never dies, and Grace is ever young.