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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MIDSUMMER EVE, by RACHEL ANNAND TAYLOR Poet's Biography
First Line: Let silence with her long pale hands ravish the / violin
Last Line: Oh! Elfin hands to-night.
Subject(s): Death; Divorce; Love - Marital; Dead, The; Wedded Love; Marriage - Love
First Line: Let silence with her long pale hands ravish the / violin
Last Line: Oh! Elfin hands to-night.
Subject(s): Death; Divorce; Love - Marital; Dead, The; Wedded Love; Marriage - Love
LET Silence with her long pale hands ravish the violin:
Let Reverie with silken snare entoil the dancing foot!
Rumours of antique beauty, love o' stars, and shriven sin,
Die softly out from my tired soul! That I may rest, be mute!
That I may rest, be mute!
But let some faint and rhythmic voice intone me monkish tales
Of tears occult, and pangs of unendurable divorce,—
Alhambras rainbow-bright made sullen cloisters,—scourges,—veils,—
The great white glimmering tomb of Love, the vigil of remorse.
Foretell the long remorse.
And oh! ye lovely wasting eyes, let sleep blindfold you well!
Peace! Peace! Tyrannic heart, what more, what more to give have I?
Yea! tirèd through with love I am, for ever it befell
That, married to immortal dreams, all mortal dreamers die:—
Of too much beauty die!
So, that some silver moons the more Love's torches flame for me,
Give me a night of Lotos. Let the great grey waters quite
Close over; and, because my soul has wrought my flesh to be
Like essence,—ghosts and fairies fine alone shall touch to-night.
Oh! Elfin hands to-night.
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